The Messenger
by missingJane
Summary: Jane and Lisbon are in love. While working together at the FBI, Jane rebuilds his run-down cabin by the lake. He is planning ask Teresa a big question, but before he can, a tragedy sweeps him away from her. Will he be able to find his way back to her before time runs out for him?
1. Death and Tacos

Well here I am with a new story. This one has been sitting in the back of my mind, bugging me, whispering at me, asking me to set it free. I have tried to ignore it in favour of something else, but over time, I have decided that the only way I will have some peace is to let this guy out to play. I have very little idea where this story will take me, but I never have a complete plan when I start to write. So let's go on this little adventure together and see where we end up!

The Messenger

Chapter 1

Death and Tacos

"Jane, Lisbon, we're up!" called Abbott, stepping out into the bullpen. Lisbon was nowhere in sight, but Jane was sprawled on his old leather sofa, basking in the late morning sun like a large ginger cat. Wylie scooted around in his chair and noted Jane had not moved an inch considering Abbott needed the whole team. Risking chastisement from his quirky co-worker, Wylie walked over to the body on the sofa and raised a finger to poke Jane awake. As if aware his personal space had been invaded, Jane raised one eyebrow and glared at poor Wylie just as his long finger was about to give the sleeping body a nudge.

"Don't do it Wylie!" Jane muttered. "I am on full alert and require no additional assistance."

Wylie's hand retracted to the safety of a pocket while the hapless young man turned a bright shade of red.

"Sorry Jane! It's just that Abbott…" he began, before Jane cut him off mid-sentence and raised his hand to silence the young techie. Jane deigned to open his eyes and swivel his head around to look for Lisbon. He wanted to call her Teresa forever now that he had declared his love for her, but somehow, within the FBI building, she remained Lisbon. Smirking slyly to himself, he knew he would call her Teresa in their more intimate moments, whispering it like a prayer, as she was his saviour in all ways. Jane sat up and yawned dramatically.

"Thank you for your concern about my attendance at this meeting young Wylie. Much appreciated. But I heard Abbott."

"Okay!" said Wylie, smiling goofily as he turned to stroll back to his desk, his interaction with Jane no surprise. Expect the unexpected and you will get along just fine with Mr. Jane. Patrick sat up and looked around. So, where was the lovely Lisbon? As if summoned by his thoughts, she strode into the bullpen with a fresh cup of coffee and made her way over to her sleepy man and smiled deeply when she caught sight of the grin on his face.

"What? What's so funny?" she asked, not really expecting him to divulge his innermost thoughts in such a public place.

"Just admiring the view my dear" he admitted. Lisbon's smile broadened and she beamed at him as she sat at her desk, about to open a case file.

"Ummm, that tedious work will have to wait. Abbott says we caught a case. Meeting in the bullpen in about 5 minutes" he informed her, happy to have a new adventure to indulge his mind. Sleeping lazily on his beloved couch was all well and good, but after a few days it became boring. He could be at the old house by the lake, fixing it up a bit more. His plan was to renovate it fully and make it _their_ home. Since returning from Florida, he spent many nights at her house during the week, a situation he found delightful. With Pike out of the picture, her home now felt like his second home. But he shouldn't get ahead of himself. He had a big question to ask her first… His stomach lurched in nervous anticipation just thinking about it!

As agents began to gather and fill the chairs set up around the screens at the far end of the room, Jane and Lisbon made their way over to the group and sat next to each other, waiting for Abbott to show them the new case. As if on cue, when everyone was assembled, Abbott strode into the room and took his place at the podium.

"Good morning. We've been contacted by Police Chief Carl Monroe from McCarron County. Seems a federal employee in their jurisdiction has been found dead in the desert and as such, the case becomes an FBI investigation. The Fed, Walter Carruthers, worked for the local taxation office and was found out in the desert by a hiker. He was dressed in a business suit and loafers, no car, no wallet, no I.D. "

Abbott clicked on a file on his laptop and a photo of the deceased man appeared on the large screen behind him.

"As you can see, our victim was dressed for work in an office, not for hiking. Why was he found in the desert? We need to know what he was doing in the days leading up to his demise, who he knew, who his friends are, what his upcoming plans were. There were no marks on the body to indicate cause of death, so we are waiting for the coroner's report. Perhaps we will discover something about his activities based on that report. Cho will divide you up into teams and you will be given your assignments. Let's wrap this one up quickly folks. We have a long weekend coming up and I'm sure some of you would actually like to take some time off to enjoy it."

Mumbled nods of agreement confirmed this, and the agents eagerly took their files from Cho when he finished his speech a few minutes later. Lisbon and Jane were going to interview Carruthers' co-workers to see if there were issues there that could have caused his death. The body was obviously moved. When Jane drove out to the crime scene he hoped to find some indication of why the victim was placed so far away from the nearest town. He needed to see the spot for himself, knowing the techs often missed the most obvious clues.

Within 15 minutes, Lisbon and Jane were driving out of the city into the barren countryside bordering the desert. The afternoon was spent speaking to the employees of the taxation office, a place so beige and boring that Jane imagined that suicide would have been a job hazard. Voicing his opinion of that just earned him a poke in the ribs from Lisbon as she gathered up their paperwork and ushered her wayward, opinionated consultant out of the airless office.

"If I had to work in there for more than 5 minutes, I might go out into the desert and kill myself as well…" mused Jane.

'Well _you_ might, but I doubt Walter Carruthers did. He was murdered. And just because you wouldn't work there doesn't mean it wasn't a good place to work for all those other people Jane!" huffed Lisbon.

"It is awful, bland, bureaucratic and stifling. A fate worse than…"

"Death? No, it's not, but I will agree that it isn't the place I'd want to spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week working in. So, now what?" agreed Lisbon finally, hoping to change the subject.

"A drive out into the desert seems in order" said Jane, happy to stay out of the office for a change.

"I can't. I have that physical arranged with the FBI physician. I've cancelled so many times they are threatening to put me on leave until I get my annual physical out of the way. So if you go, you may have to take someone else with you" she explained, looking disappointed that she would not be able to accompany him out of the office for the rest of the afternoon.

"Meh! Anyone else will just slow me down, asking useless questions and getting in my way. I can go and take a look and be back by 6. Then how about you and I go to that great Taco place on South Congress and sit outside while the sun goes down. Yes?" he asked, beaming just at the thought of it.

Lisbon smiled back and agreed, looking forward to spending the evening in the city of Austin and watching the world go by from the vantage point of a patio and a plateful of great tacos in front of her. And in the company of the irascible man she loved so much.

"Ok, deal. Just don't linger or get lost. I'll eat a light lunch so we can really dig into those tacos tonight" she said, pleased with the way the day was turning out.

"Love you…" whispered Jane, leaning in for a discreet kiss as they approached the FBI SUV.

"Love you too…" grinned Lisbon, glancing around to make sure they weren't being watched.


	2. Hell or High Water

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favourited this story. Chapter 2 is a long one, I hope you don't mind!

The Messenger

Chapter 2

Hell or High Water

The sky was turning grey when they pulled into the FBI parking lot. Jane studied it warily, hoping it would clear in time for their taco feast downtown this evening. Jane had learned that rain rarely came in Texas, even when the sky looked ready to explode into a storm, so he hoped for the best. 10 minutes later Jane and Lisbon had parted ways and she was on her way to be poked and prodded by the FBI in-house physician, and Jane was cruising down the highway back out of Austin, heading for the scene of the unfortunate tax man's death. The sun that normally beat down on Texas this time of year was now gradually being covered over with a heavy wash of clouds. If a storm dampened the crime scene, it would be rendered useless to Jane's scrutiny. 'So much for sitting on a patio in downtown Austin tonight' thought Jane with resignation. A nice rainstorm was a welcome change from the unrelenting heat and humidity normally associated with a Texas summer, but if it only would hold off for just a little longer…

Jane had a fairly long drive before he arrived at the spot where the body had been found, yellow crime scene tape still fluttering in the now strengthening wind. Jane walked all around, taking in the location and any marks left in the sandy soil where the body had lain; checked for odds and ends lying about that might have indicated why the man was placed here, in this lonesome and forgotten part of the country. Aside from a bright blue button on-scene that didn't match anything the man had been wearing when his body was found, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Any tire tracks left by the vehicle which carried the poor victim, had long ago been blown away in the swirling wind. Dirt devils kicked up and danced around the desert floor in ever widening arcs, until they spent themselves and evaporated into nothingness. Jane stood up and watched them in fascination, enjoying the sudden appearance of the devils and guessing at their erratic paths before they consumed themselves and were gone. A distant rumble of thunder overhead reminded Jane of the imminent arrival of a storm and he decided to pocket the blue button and run back to his car before the deluge began. Rain in the desert could create a flash flood so quickly that anyone unfamiliar with the phenomenon experienced it at their peril. A dry river bed could become a roaring monster of death, sweeping away anything in its' path within minutes. Jane didn't want to push his luck.

The walk back to his car took just a few minutes, but by the time he was inside the FBI SUV, the first heavy splatters of rain were thudding against his windshield. Jane pulled away and got back onto the highway before his tires got stuck in the soon-to-be muddy dirt of the desert. Checking the time, Jane knew that Lisbon would almost be finished with her appointment with the doctor by now and then would insist on going back to the office to check on the progress of the team before she called it a day. Jane felt no need to duplicate her efforts, so instead, he looked for a diner or coffee shop as he made his way along the now deserted highway. Might as well have a cup of tea or a lemonade before he tried to push through the ever worsening rain. After five minutes of driving, the flashing neon sign of a roadside cafe drew Jane's attention. He had never been in this part of the countryside outside of Austin. There was absolutely nothing interesting to see out here and he wondered how the cafe did any business at all save for a few loyal locals. Only two other vehicles were parked outside of the small restaurant when Jane pulled up as close to the door as possible. There was no use waiting for the rain to let up. The teeming downpour had settled in and looked like it would take its' own sweet time before it moved off to another location somewhere else in a parched and bone dry section of Texas. Eyeing the quickly forming puddles and curtain of rain that awaited him, Jane sighed and opened the car door, to be immediately blasted with a wash of cold rain and wind. Hunkering down, he grabbed his jacket around his chest and ran for the door, studied by the few people watching in silence from inside the building. An overhead bell rang as Jane dashed through the old aluminium door and stamped the rain off his clothes and shoes before he looked up and took in his surroundings.

The cafe looked like it had been forgotten by time. Nothing had been renovated, ever. Whatever decor had been in fashion 60 years earlier was still right there, faded, exuding loneliness in its' otherworldliness. Ancient signs depicting rosy cheeked girls holding up an icy bottle of Coke competed with advertisements for motor oil and chewing tobacco. An old Army/Navy recruitment poster glared down from the wall, demanding that you, yes you! answer the call and serve your country! Faded and yellowed news clippings were thumbtacked to an old corkboard on the wall opposite the doorway. Long out of date phone numbers were listed in a torn and limp old phone book for local businesses that had disappeared decades ago. The linoleum floor that had once been a vibrant turquoise and black checkerboard pattern, was now a muted blue and black cracked hazard. Large globe lights hung from dusty and fly encrusted cords over the scattering of tables and chairs. An atmosphere of sadness and neglect was what hit Jane the hardest as he looked around the small room. Whoever owned this diner certainly wasn't interested in drawing in new clientele.

The long narrow room was dominated by an old counter at the far end. Any shine on the 50's era arborite was polished off long ago. A row of mismatched tall stools stood in front of the counter, their paint mostly missing. Sitting on one of the stools was a balding, bespectacled man wearing an old-fashioned short-sleeved shirt and baggy beige pants. His large sneakered feet perched on a rung of his stool, giving the impression of an overly large baby bird waiting to be fed. He grinned broadly at Jane, who returned his attention with a nod of his head. Behind the counter stood a woman of advancing age. She had a nervous, wary look about her. A shock of hard bottle-black hair rimmed her fleshy, pale face. Bright red lipstick, more appropriate for a 20-something pop star than an woman of retirement age, slashed her mouth and accented her dour expression. She wore an old waitress uniform which had been mended and let out as her figure sagged and relaxed with time. Altogether she seemed sad, and maybe even frightened by Jane's sudden appearance. Rag in hand, she stopped wiping the counter in mid-swipe when Jane stomped in. Her bloodshot eyes never left Jane until a sound behind her broke the spell and she turned away, throwing her cloth back into a pan of murky water. The kitchen lay beyond the counter and peering through a large opening in the wall stood a very fat, sweaty man clad in what might once have been a white chef's uniform. Now his cotton jacket and pants were a pale grey color, poorly covered up by a large apron dangling from a string around his short neck and sagging down his front, untied and grease stained. He broke the silence in the room by loudly welcoming Jane, shouting "Eggs?" by way of a greeting. Jane smiled and said hello in return, glad at least one person seemed happy to see him grace their establishment. All things considered, Jane normally would welcome some fresh tea and a plate of eggs just about now, but judging from the standard of hygiene in this place, he declined the cook's offer and instead opted to reach for a bottle of lemonade out of the cooler standing by the door leading to the men's room.

"No thanks, perhaps another time" he smiled. "I'll take this lemonade and a bag of potato chips to go" he added, not wanting to sit and make small talk with this group. At his mention of returning to the road, the balding man stood up and approached, offering his outstretched hand for Jane to shake. An odd thing to do, thought Jane.

"You can't be planning to drive through that storm, are you?" Baldy asked, waving at the front window with his other hand. Not wanting to appear overly rude since he was not staying, Jane shook the proffered hand.

"Yes, I am. If I get going now I can get ahead of the storm and get back to the city by suppertime" he explained. "My SUV can manage the puddles."

All eyes turned to the large black vehicle parked by the door and then back to Jane, who now felt like he was under a microscope. He could have had some fun with these country folks, but he just wanted to get on his way and put this dreary place behind him. The forlorn woman had still not uttered a sound, but studied Jane like she had never seen anyone else outside of these four walls. Now she felt the need to speak, before the stranger left.

"You know these back roads?" she asked. Her expression had not changed. She still regarded Jane as an interloper, perhaps someone not to be trusted. "They can get dangerous real quick" she added as she eyed Baldy.

"I have a GPS, I can get back to Austin without a problem. But thank you for your concern" Jane smiled, his charm apparently having no effect on this woman.

"Huh...suit yourself!" she replied, eyes never leaving him. The cook had disappeared and could be heard somewhere out back talking on the phone, not interested in Jane's plans since he had refused his eggs.

While Jane was paying for his snacks, Baldy walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder, leaving his finger there a tad too long.

"Watch out for signs warning of road washouts! Sometimes these back roads will be impassible due to flash floods. Keep your eyes open and you should be fine" he said, as eager as a boy scout earning a badge for helping a stranger in need. Jane rolled his shoulder to dislodge the skinny man's finger.

"I'll do that. Thanks for the warning." Jane turned and raised his hand in a farewell gesture to the unsmiling woman glaring at him, who promptly turned her back on him and lit a cigarette. The cook had reappeared and returned Jane's wave with a smile. As Jane turned to leave he felt 6 eyes watching his every move. Opening the door, he gathered his jacket close to his body and ran quickly to his SUV, yanking the door open and cursing his bad luck with the weather and his choice of a place to stop. The whole episode had felt creepy. He resolved to embroider his story of the day's events, and the description of the cafe when he told Teresa about his day later at suppertime. He would make each of the people in the cafe much more memorable in the retelling. It would be a bit of fun at the end of this boring day.

Jane sat dripping against the seat in the car and reached into the paper bag, taking out the bottle of lemonade. He tried to pry off the lid but it really needed a bottle cap opener. Jane knew he could eventually get it off if he worked at it. As he gripped the sweating bottle a little harder, he grasped the wet glass and gave the lid a hard twist, moving it suddenly, tearing the inside fold of skin forming the "L" of his left hand. As he recoiled in pain and sucked at the sore spot to catch any blood that may have formed in his cut, he dropped the lid into his pocket and cursed softly at his foolishness. The cut was in a lousy place, sure to open every time he flexed his hand. He found a handkerchief in his other pocket and dabbed at the abrasion until it stopped bleeding. A moment later he could finally take a swig of the cool sweet lemonade while he started the engine and pulled out of this desolate little place. The rain was heavy but he made good time as he followed the old road, keeping a watch out for fallen rocks or mud slides. Ten minutes into his trip, he came to bend in the road. Once around the corner, he saw a makeshift barricade someone had placed across the road with a sign warning of a washout ahead. Jane eased on the brakes and stopped, looking past the barricade. From here the road looked safe to drive on, but he couldn't see far enough ahead to take a chance. Remembering what the bald man had told him about flash floods, Jane resigned himself to finding another way home as the skies darkened in the late afternoon storm. Sighing in frustration, he put the SUV into reverse and made a three point turn to go back in the direction he had just come from. This trip was certainly a complete waste of time and now he would get home late, wet and annoyed. Hoping conditions would improve on the main road, Jane headed back to his starting point. Shortly after he drove past the old diner again, he saw a sign for a side road and took that, as his GPS indicated it would also lead him to the main highway, even if it was a longer route to the city. Jane didn't like the idea of Teresa getting home and not finding him waiting there. She would worry and he didn't want that. He had much more pleasant plans on his mind for the evening!

As he made the turn onto the little used side road, Jane drove slowly, glancing into his side mirrors and bemoaned the lack of visibility the rain afforded him. There were no lights out here and driving was tricky even on a clear night. The radio was tuned to his favourite smooth jazz station, the soft sounds enveloping him like a warm hug. He was so glad Lisbon also appreciated this music. That was one thing they had never fought over on their long drives to crime scenes. Smiling at the memories those trips conjured up, Jane watched his speed and crept along, the only vehicle on this piece of road. Suddenly feeling his tires slip as they hit a patch of mud, Jane snapped to attention, on alert for more poor road conditions ahead. A moment later the tires once again gripped the asphalt road and he relaxed slightly as he surged ahead. A few minutes later his front tires hit mud again, but this time the heavy SUV swayed slightly to the left as the spinning tires lost their grip on the road. Jane leaned forward and concentrated hard on his driving. Should he stop? Pull over and hope the storm passed quickly, as they usually do around here? But that could make matters worse. Stopping now and sitting on the edge of the narrow road he might actually get stuck in the mud and not make it back to the main highway a all. No, best to keep going, but carefully. Decision made, Jane maintained his cautious speed and drove on, tires slipping on the slick surface most of the time now. Jane had turned off the radio to concentrate on the task at hand and as he crept around a bend in the road he heard an ominous roaring sound ahead and to his right. Before he could make sense of the sound he felt the SUV shift slightly and then lurch quickly to the left. Wheels spinning, Jane's SUV was no longer going forward, but was being pushed sideways across the road by a wall of water hurtling down a rock face to the right of him on the shoulder of the road. He was no longer in control of the SUV! It was being carried away in a torrent of slime!


	3. Washed Away

Just a short chapter as I am kinda busy with Christmas stuff right now. Enjoy!

The Messenger

Chapter 3

Washed Away

A flash flood had cascaded down a normally bone dry cliff running parallel to the road, creating a waterfall that flattened every shrub and plant in its' way. The dry earth churned up into a gushing mud slick that oozed across the road and caused the SUV to hydroplane sideways. Jane looked helplessly at the landscape around him moving in the wrong direction and rolled down his driver's side window to see what was awaiting him on that side when he eventually came to a stop. He looked out into the driving rain and saw a low wire line running along the road's edge, and beyond it, the valley floor of the desert he had so recently walked across! He was being pushed across the lanes of blacktop at a surprising rate of speed, his car skating on the mud below his tires. With a jolt, the side of the SUV slammed into a wire running along the side of the road and stopped abruptly, giving Jane a faint hope his vehicle could come to a complete rest against it and stop it's sideways slide.

"Shit!" Jane muttered as he considered his options. As he turned to see out of his right hand window, Jane saw a large piece of rock fall away from the cliff face above him, releasing a huge torrent of water which thundered down onto the shoulder of the road, pushing forward a river of mud, broken trees and small shrubs.

"Go go go!" Jane screamed as he tried to drive the car forward, but his tires just spun uselessly on the surface of the muddy road. Jane realized he had no way to avoid being hit by this onslaught. As the log jam of earth and uprooted vegetation slammed into the right side of the SUV, Jane felt the car start to lift up, as if a giant was playing with his SUV like a child's toy. Everything was happening very quickly now and any move Jane made had to be the right one. There was no time for second chances.

The torrent raged on, pushing more debris under the vehicle, lifting it up higher and causing the contents of the car to fly around the inside of the vehicle as Jane frantically tried to open his door. The wire at the edge of the road rested against the bottom of the door, trapping Jane inside the SUV. Jane gripped the edge of the window in desperation. He had seconds to get out alive, no time to call Lisbon and tell her where he was, no time to climb over towards the passenger door and escape that way. He would have to climb out of the vehicle through his open window and pray he didn't get trapped under the SUV if it tipped over. As he was working frantically to release his seatbelt, a large tree limb pushed by the wave of mud and water crashed through the passenger window like a spear, narrowly missing his body and lodged in the back seat.

"C'mon! Open dammit!" he muttered as he wrestled with the slippery latch on his shoulder harness. "Open dammit!"

With the window destroyed, the SUV filled rapidly with muddy water. Jane realized he had no way out unless he got free this instant. The latch on the seatbelt was slick and covered with mud, making Jane's shaking fingers slip off the small piece of metal each time he tried to lift and release his restraint. The vehicle was now up on its' two left tires, tipping precariously, almost standing completely on its' side. Heart pounding, Jane looked up to see the rain pouring into the car through the broken passenger window, and then felt the river of mud give the SUV a final shove past its' tipping point. Jane braced his arms against the ceiling as the disabled vehicle began to flip over towards the looming valley below.

As the SUV rolled over the edge of the wire, a tool chest on the floor of the back seat was hurled upward and to the left as everything in the car flew around crazily. Jane gripped the steering wheel and held on as tightly as possible as his centre of gravity shifted and threw his body off balance. As he turned his head to look out of his open window, Jane saw the ground alongside the SUV come up to meet the window frame just as the tool box smashed into the side of his head, knocking him senseless. His body slumped limply back against the door as the car lost its' fight against the force of the flash flood. Jane was trapped inside, his seatbelt holding him down and the airbags exploded in his face as the SUV flipped over and over, filling with rain and flood water. The shattered windows all around the SUV now let the storm into the twisted shell of the vehicle. The car hurtled down the short cliff face blowing out all four tires, and in a few moments the rapid descent of the vehicle stopped, as the black SUV slammed into the hard ground below the roadway and came to a rest on its' roof, wheels spinning furiously in the rain, its' headlights shining out into the desolate night.


	4. Lost and Found

I have to apologize for the lack of dialogue in this chapter. Out of necessity, it is all narrative, with only interior dialogue from Lisbon. When you read it you will understand why there is no talking. Please enjoy. The next chapter will be much more dialogue driven.

The Messenger

Chapter 4

Lost and Found

Lisbon was wrapping up her work for the day, and said goodnight to the few remaining agents as they made their way towards the elevator. She had tried to reach Jane after her visit with the doctor, but he wasn't picking up her texts. A flash of lightning illuminated the bullpen and she involuntarily shuddered at the thought of stepping out into the rain. She tried Jane again, this time calling him on his cell phone, hoping to reach him as he arrived at her house ahead of her. The call rang and rang and finally died. Puzzled by this, Lisbon pocketed her phone and considered the possibility that his cell was out of range in this storm if he was still stuck out on the highway. If that was the case, he would be happy when he did manage to come back to her house, to find supper started and a glass of wine waiting for sipping before their meal was ready. Tacos downtown would have to wait for a sunnier day. Jane would understand. Smiling at the thought, Lisbon hurried out of the building intent on making an extra effort in the meal tonight. Jane was the real cook in this relationship, but her skills in the kitchen had rapidly improved with his tutelage. Working as a team most nights, side by side at the kitchen counter, they chatted and laughed and made plans for the future, with a wonderful meal soon completed between them. How she had lived on snacks and beer for so many lonesome years, she couldn't imagine. Lisbon attempted a quick sprint to the parking lot, but without an umbrella, she was soon soaking wet and cold. The thought that before long she would be soaking in a warm bath, sipping wine, and listening to jazz while supper roasted in the oven more than made up for her soggy state.

Traffic was slower than usual so she was more than ready to peel off her damp clothes and put a chicken in oven as soon as she unlocked the front door. A full-bodied red wine glistened in a stemless wine glass on the edge of the bathtub as Lisbon slid into the bubble filled tub, hissing softly at the bite of the hot water. Once fully immersed, she reached over and cradled the glass in her palm, deciding what else to serve with the chicken. Her newfound domesticity made her grin but she couldn't have been more content. How her life had changed the day Patrick had risked arrest to stop her from going to Washington to marry Pike.

Pike. What a disaster in the making that marriage would have been. Teresa shuddered involuntarily at the thought of trying to find marital bliss with that good, but totally wrong man. By the time her wine glass was empty and the bath water was cooling, Teresa had to hurry out of the tub to towel off and start the rest of the meal, as Jane was sure to be waltzing in at any moment. He would be wet and hungry, so she wanted to get everything ready so they could just relax and enjoy each other's company for the rest of the evening. With a glance at the wall clock, Teresa felt another pang of concern that she had not heard a word from Jane in hours. What a frustrating man!

(Desert)

The desert was silent, as the rain had stopped and the torrent of water down the cliff face had finally petered out into a trickle. A light wind had blown the last of the storm clouds away, exposing a million stars illuminating the night sky unimpeded by city light pollution. Nothing moved in the valley except a few cautious wild animals inspecting the storm damage to their homes. Here, close to Austin, the desert was not an endless ocean of sand, but was a hard-scrabble combination of yucca plants, cacti and creosote bushes, mesquite, agave, and ocotillo. What hard and sandy soil was there was now a mushy, muddy quagmire broken up by low lying scrub brush. Once the sun came up, the thin layer of sandy soil would dry up and leave no trace of the deathly storm this evening.

The SUV lay crumpled on its' roof like a black bug stuck on its' back. The four flat tires were still and dripping silently. Anything loose inside the FBI vehicle had been hurled around and now lay either in the bowl of the mud filled ceiling or had been tossed outside of the crumpled wreck and was lost in the maze of shrubs and cacti. Loose papers, tools set free from the inside of the toolbox and the glass lemonade bottle were cast in a wide swath all around the insect-like destroyed car. Inside the vehicle, Jane hung upside down, held in place by his jammed seatbelt. His arms hung limply downward, his hands sitting in the cold pool of mud on the ceiling, his head lolling to the side, resting against the bent window frame. A cold wind blew in the open windows and chilled Jane although he was not aware of anything. He had been trapped in the upside down car for more than an hour now, tucked in below the road above and out of sight from anyone driving by. But no one was driving by on this little used road. An ugly lump and gash parted Jane's hair where the toolbox had hit him, and his foot was jammed up under the brake pedal. Twisted into an unnatural position, it would have sent shards of pain to his brain had Jane been awake. But he was not.

In the distance, a light shone out into the desert, moving in an ever widening arc like a giant eye. It was far away, carried by someone or perhaps mounted on a vehicle of some sort. It slowly made its' way across the still muddy terrain, gradually growing bigger and brighter the closer the light got to the accident site. It took a good 20 minutes but eventually a jeep pulled up to the destroyed SUV and stopped. Two men stepped out of the vehicle and silently made their way over to Jane. A flashlight shone into the SUV, revealing the ashen face of the man trapped inside.

Without a word, the men set to work to pry the door open with canvas gloved hands. It took both of them working together quite some time to get it to open, but eventually it popped free of the bent frame and a pair of large hands reached inside and released the seatbelt holding the injured man. Jane tumbled into the waiting arms of one of the men, who tried to pull him out of the pancaked car. Jane's foot was tightly wedged under the brake pedal, so the other man had to crawl into the car from the passenger side and reach up to the floor above and work to set it free. Jane's ankle was swollen and bloody but no longer trapped.

Grasping his upper body and legs they carried him to their waiting, warm vehicle and laid him gently across the back seat. Once he was seat belted in for safety, they turned their vehicle back towards the horizon and left as silently as they had arrived. Soon, the desert was completely still again.

(Lisbon's Home)

Lisbon reached for her phone and punched in Jane's number again. She was truly worried now. It was not like him to just stay away when they had made plans for dinner. Things were going so well between them now, no more running way, Jane had promised! Teresa now wished she had gone with him to re-visit the crime scene in the desert. Something had happened to Jane while he was out there, she was sure of it. The storm must have changed his plans somehow, but why wouldn't he call now that the weather had cleared? A bad feeling was sitting in the pit of her stomach and Lisbon only grew more concerned as his phone just went to voicemail. She would give him just a little more time, and if he didn't turn up soon with a good story, she was going to call Cho to put out a BOLO for his vehicle.

She hoped it wouldn't be necessary.

(Unknown Medical Facility)

An hour after he was found by his two rescuers, the jeep drove up to a rustic farm gate and the driver pushed a button set into the large wooden beam. The intercom crackled to life and after a few exchanged words, the gate clicked open and the men drove through. The jeep drove down a laneway almost half a mile long, finally arriving at the place of refuge. Standing in the middle of a well manicured clearing was a collection of buildings. Most were dark but a few were fully lit inside and out. Driving up to a separate building around the back of the main building, the driver saw the hospital ahead and pulled in under the covered entryway. Two orderlies were waiting for them and soon Jane was carefully lifted out of the backseat of their jeep and put onto a waiting stretcher. Cautious hands carried him silently into the brightly lit building to a waiting doctor and nurse, who had been notified that a patient was coming in. Both began to work examining Jane, checking for broken bones and head trauma. After a thorough workup, the ankle was found to be badly twisted, but not broken. It would take the same amount of time to heal since so many ligaments and muscles were damaged, but he would need no cast. The head injury was a cause for concern. Jane was still unconscious and bleeding heavily from his scalp wound. A scan would show whether he had a fractured skull. An hour later he was resting comfortably in a warm bed, his chilled body nestled under heated blankets and an IV delivering fluids to stabilize him. His head was swathed in thick white bandages, sutures holding his gash closed. No skull fracture had been found, so now it was just a matter of him waking up and beginning to heal, day by day. It would seem that the worst was over for Jane.

Time would show the exact opposite to be true.


	5. The Awakening

I thought I would publish another chapter quickly as I will soon be going away for Christmas. Once I'm gone I don't think I will be able to write until I return to Canada. Until then I will write every chance I get. Thank you to everyone who wrote their comments. Much appreciated, and I'm glad I surprised some of you with the direction this is going!

The Messenger

Chapter 5

The Awakening

Lisbon grasped another glass of wine to calm her nerves as she dialed her closest ally at the FBI, Cho. It rang twice before she heard his familiar voice. Seeing it was Teresa on the line, Cho couldn't help but give her a bit of a hard time.

"Can't a guy eat pizza in peace?" he teased her as he put down a cheesy slice and reached for his glass of beer. "There's plenty if you and Jane want to join me for a few slices…" he offered before Lisbon cut him off.

"Thanks Cho, but I've got a problem" she began. Cho instantly sat up a bit straighter and paused the movie he was watching. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Lisbon continued. "Patrick never came home tonight. He went out to the crime scene alone this afternoon and his SUV was not returned to the FBI parking bay, I checked. Cho, he isn't answering his texts or calls" she finished, hearing how lame it sounded when she expressed her concerns out loud.

"Jane going alone sounds about right" Cho said, not really surprised at this news.

"Lisbon, I'm sure there is a very simple and mundane reason why he isn't able to contact you. The storm knocked out some power lines, so no one in those areas has phone or internet capabilities right now. He just might be hunkered down somewhere wishing he wasn't causing you this worry."

"I know you're probably right Cho, but…. but, could you put a BOLO out on his vehicle, just in case? If someone spots it then they can let us know he is OK. I know I'm worrying for nothing, but could you do that Cho?" Lisbon asked, not caring how needy she sounded. Everyone at the office knew she and Jane were a committed couple, so to hell with trying to sound cool and unconcerned.

Cho thought her request through and realized it would ease her mind and cause very little fuss for a local police station to radio the BOLO out to their officers on patrol.

"Sure, no problem. He's probably stuck in some roadside cafe, drinking tea with the locals and showing them card tricks to pass the time. I'll call it in. Try not to worry Lisbon. We'll find him."

"Thanks Cho, I appreciate it. And thanks for the invite for pizza. Any other night we would join you" she said.

Cho smiled into the phone. He was happy these two friends finally got their act together and stopped mooning around the office and just admitted they were in love. Made life easier in the bullpen.

"I'll keep you updated Lisbon. Talk to you soon" he said before hanging up. A moment later he was on the phone calling in the BOLO. He cast the net wide, just in case Jane had travelled some distance before he got stuck. No doubt he would have an interesting story to tell everyone at work at the end of the long weekend.

(Hospital)

The hospital had settled down for the night, as there were only a handful of patients currently requiring care and no one else was admitted after Jane was brought in. The building was small, more like a one-story elementary school in its' layout. The Emergency entrance at one end led to a tiny waiting room, beyond which were two curtained exam rooms. Down a hallway were patient rooms and at the very end, beyond a glass door, a very small but efficient OR. Small closets and a perfunctory staff lunch room finished off the extent of the facilities. The staff padded around on soft soled shoes to minimize noise and there was no talking except where it concerned a patient's care. It felt more like a monastery than a hospital, truth be told.

"Check on our John Doe every half hour. His head injury could lead to complications at any point" said a dour nurse of about 50, who held sway over the 3 other nurses who took turns working around the clock in the small facility.

The 30-something nurse wrote on Jane's chart and offered a curt "Yes Martha" to the order. Both women were dressed in plain surgical scrubs, Martha in a deep shade of blue, and Miriam, the younger nurse, wore pale green. Both wore white rubber Crocs, to minimize noise and for ease in cleaning. Both had long hair tied up in tight buns at the base of their necks, wore no makeup and only had a watch to keep track of their schedules and to track the pulse of their patients. They were very plain but hardworking women.

Martha returned to her desk as Miriam, set off to check up the patients in her care for the night. Each one was relatively well and sleeping soundly except the newest patient, their John Doe. No wallet with identification had been found at the scene of the accident, so they had no name for Jane on their charts. Until then, he would remain John Doe, or until The Messenger assigned him a name. Just thinking of The Messenger made Miriam walk a little straighter and more quickly to carry out her assignments. She wanted to do her best for Him.

Miriam stepped quietly into Jane's room and stared down at his sleeping face. She couldn't help it, fool that she was, but her first thought was what a handsome man he was. She could only guess at his personality when he was fully conscious. Was he witty and funny, or solemn and serious? Her mind wandered for just a split second before she stopped herself and shook those foolish ideas out of her head. No wonder she was stuck in her ability to move on with her life. She was still attached to thinking about irrelevant things. 'Time to get real!' she told herself, reaching for Jane's wrist to take his pulse. His heartbeat was strong and he didn't appear to have a fever. He had been very cold when he was brought in so she was grateful he was not developing an infection or even a cold to complicate his recovery. She checked his mangled ankle, feeling it for poor circulation and was pleased it seemed to be fine as well. Turning back to check his eyes with her small flashlight, she lifted one eyelid and flashed the bright beam of light into his pupil.

Suddenly a hand came up and grabbed her arm, pulling it away, startling her. Jane groggily opened both eyes and looked with confusion at the woman leaning over him.

"Stop that… too bright" he mumbled, swatting her flashlight away from his face. His eyes closed again and he took a deep breath, seemingly more asleep than awake. Miriam leaned in and tried to check his eyes again. Perhaps that would help to wake her mystery patient up more fully and they could further gage his mental state.

Miriam gently lifted Jane's eyelid again and shone her bright light into his eye, and a moment later, a low growl rumbled from him. She took the flashlight away and gently shook Jane's shoulder.

"Time to wake up!" she ordered him. "You've been sleeping for a long time, wake up now" she told him.

Jane heard her and was not sure who she was or why he should wake up for her or anyone else for that matter. The continued shoulder shaking was just plain annoying so he opened his eyes and turned to give the pest a piece of his mind. When he did, he was surprised to see a very lovely young woman standing by his side, concern etched on her face. She had no name tag and nothing written on her uniform to inform him of his location.

"Stop shaking me" he groused.

"I'm sorry. I know you were sleeping, but you needed to wake up for a little while" she began to explain.

"I finally fall asleep, but when I do, you tell me I have to wake up… how does that make sense? And where am I? What is this place?" Jane asked, growing more fully awake now. He looked around and only saw a very simple bedroom, not necessarily a hospital room. There was no fancy equipment hanging around the bed, just an IV pole holding his intravenous solution. Spotting the needle going into the back of his hand, he checked himself out more fully and saw a lump under the bedding at his ankle. He tried to move his legs but as soon as he moved his right ankle, a bolt of pain shot up his leg and caused him to hiss in pain.

"Please lie still. You have a badly sprained ankle and a big bump on your head. You were in a car accident. We found you and brought you here to recover" Miriam explained as simply as she could, following protocol to the letter. Talk as little as possible but be encouraging. Don't be friendly, but don't be distant either. It was always a difficult task to perform well enough to please Martha, and the others.

Jane processed this information and tried to picture a car accident in his mind. He was in an accident? He couldn't envision it right now, but he was so groggy, perhaps he would remember more in a while…yes, it would all make sense soon.

"Are you in pain, except for your ankle?" Miriam asked.

Jane shifted his weight in the narrow bed and didn't feel too bad, except for a terrible headache and a large, pulsing pain on the side of his head. His hand went up involuntarily and he started to feel around for the spot that was so painful. Finding his head swathed in bandages surprised him.

"What's this?" he asked, fingering the gauze gingerly.

"You have a large gash in your head. Something must have hit you hard during the crash. You have quite the lump under those bandages and about 10 stitches. Please don't touch your head wound" she said kindly, guiding his hand back down onto the bed.

"Well that would explain the headache. My ankle feels like an elephant sat on it!" Jane admitted, not wanting to move his foot at all now that he was aware of the pain any movement incurred.

"I'll ask the head nurse to give you some pain medication in your IV so you can get some rest tonight" Miriam smiled at Jane. "We want you to be well as soon as possible. Soon you will be up and walking again."

Before Jane could make a comment, the young woman had turned and was on her way out of the room. She was pleasant but not chatty, and he had so many questions. Sighing deeply, Jane tried to make himself comfortable, burrowing down under the warm blankets as he felt very cold all of a sudden. Tomorrow he would find out more about his accident and where exactly he was. The fact that he didn't ask about Lisbon, and if she had been called, indicated how addled his thinking was. The questions swimming around in his concussed brain were wearing him out, and by the time Martha came in with a syringe filled with pain medication, Jane was once again sleeping deeply.

Martha injected the solution into Jane's IV line, then turned towards a grilled panel set high into the bedroom wall. Twisting a switch, and adjusting the volume, she found the program she wanted. Walking away she heard the sound of the voice she loved so well. She left the room as a sonorous male voice began to speak in a recorded message, giving what sounded like an academic lecture to the man lying unawares in the single bed. The voice talked with enthusiasm while Jane snored gently. It went on all night long.


	6. Welcome Thomas

Thank you for the reviews! Your guesses are interesting concerning the direction of the story. Enjoy Chapter 6!

The Messenger

Chapter 6

Welcome Thomas

Soon after speaking with Cho, Lisbon decided to eat some of the roast chicken and veggies she had made for supper that night. All of the rest went into containers to be re-heated when Jane came home. Even though the food was quite good, Lisbon was just going through the motions of eating, not tasting her supper as she was anxious to get a phone call putting her fears to rest. When that didn't happen, she slumped into the large easy chair in the living room and resolved to wait however long it would take to find out where Jane and his car had gone. She turned the TV on to keep herself awake, but two hours into her vigil, sleep overwhelmed her and her head fell onto the padded armrest, dreaming of Jane driving up to her house in a large boat, ready to set sail on an ocean of sand.

When the phone rang at 7am the next morning, Lisbon awoke with a start and a very stiff neck. Looking around the living room, she saw the TV still on and the announcer muttering something about the storm that had devastated parts of the countryside outside of Austin the previous night. She switched this bad news off and ran upstairs, her first instinct being to see if Jane had crept into bed quietly during the night, careful not to awaken her. Running into her room, she felt bereft when she found the bed empty. The phone on her nightstand still rang. Seeing that it was Cho, Lisbon quickly sat on her bed and answered.

"Any news on Jane? Where was he all night?" she asked, sure he had good news for her.

Cho answered her as a friend, not as an agent making a report.

"I'm sorry Lisbon. The BOLO didn't turn up anything. The beat cops stopped and checked out all the usual hangouts and spoke to anyone they ran into last night, but no one saw Jane or his SUV. We have no idea where he is."

Lisbon ran her hand through her messy hair and took this information in. 'No idea where Jane is…'

"Cho, can you ping his cell phone, or track his GPS?"

"We've been trying that, but so far nothing has shown up. He could be anywhere outside of Austin."

"Don't give up Cho, please. We know he is out there somewhere, maybe waiting for us to show up and help him. He could be hurt, or lost, or…"

"We won't give up Lisbon. We're the FBI, remember?" he said with a smile in his voice that he didn't feel. "Come into the office and help us coordinate a search for him. You need to be busy" he said in all honesty.

"You know me too well. Thanks Cho. I'll be there as soon as possible. See you soon."

All pretense of holding it together fell apart after Lisbon rang off. The phone fell out of Lisbon's hand as the realization that Jane was well and truly missing pushed all other thoughts out of her brain. No more hoping for him to sashay through the door with a crazy story, no expectation of a text saying he was on his way. The only reason he would not contact her was because he couldn't. Something, or someone was preventing him from coming to her. Anger flooded through her as she sprang off the bed and headed to the shower. She took her frustration out on scrubbing her hair vigorously and cursing under her breath the things she would do to whoever had taken Jane away from her.

Cho looked up from his computer when Lisbon walked quickly into his office, coffee grasped like a lifeline in her hands. She had wasted no time getting to the office since her hair was still wet. Cho wisely said nothing to further upset her and indicated a chair opposite his desk.

"I've assembled teams to go back out and retrace Jane's steps. We can assume he found the murder scene before the storm hit. We'll start where the body was found and fan out from there. I've assigned 5 teams of two agents each, you'll come with me. Two teams will check the most direct route back to Austin, sticking to the main highway, one team will go into the nearest town and canvas there for leads, and our team and another will check the less travelled roads. We don't know where Jane went so we have to assume he might not be in the most logical place."

Lisbon nodded her agreement with this plan, not knowing what else to contribute this early in the investigation. As she and Cho discussed the team members, a knock on his door by a young agent signalled the group was ready to hit the road.

"Grab your things, we're ready to go" Cho told Lisbon, grabbing his jacket and gun, a precaution not lost on Lisbon.

"Just a moment, I'll be right with you" she said, following his lead.

Lisbon quickly ran to her desk and grabbed her service weapon and ammunition, and joined the group at the elevator. Cho addressed the group. "We're looking for one of our own. Turn over every rock, speak to everyone you see, check every parked car. Bring Jane home boys" said Cho curtly. Jane was something of a legend to these young FBI agents. They had all heard the stories of his pursuit of Red John and his subsequent disappearance for two years before being lured back to Austin to work off his charges as a consultant for the Bureau. While not all of these agents had had a chance to work with Patrick Jane, they were motivated to bring him back to agency. He was one of them. All eyes were on Cho as he finished speaking, and there were mumbled "yessirs" from the young group before they stepped into the elevator and descended to the parking garage. This was going to be a long day but hopefully Jane would be back home by nightfall.

(Hospital)

Miriam was just leaving the hospital wing for the morning, her shift finally over. She was exhausted from working every night for 12 days in a row. Asking for time off was out of the question, and she felt guilty for even thinking of catering to herself. Her attention should be directed to others, not to creature comforts such as free time, so easily taken for granted. Just as she was about to leave the cramped nurses station, the heavy door at the end of the hallway opened. It lead to a tunnel which exited into the main building next door. No one used that door, no one except Him. All eyes turned to see Michael enter. Miriam froze on the spot and lowered her eyes out of respect. She owed everything to this, her mentor: her nursing career, her home here at the Refuge and her well-being. Respect was certainly due to the imposing man. He was tall, easily 6' 3", with a lean, almost gaunt frame, with graceful long fingers holding a black walking stick in one hand. His hair was long, to his shoulders, and a clear silver. His eyes, should anyone study them, were a light blue colour, an odd shade, almost too light to be human. But no one stared at Michael. His face was smooth and tanned, with hollow cheeks from self disciple when it came to eating. Food was a necessity, but not a luxury around here. Gain too much weight and you were deemed a problem. Dressed all in blue, rough cotton pants and a loose top, he looked like an aging hippie, but without the easy going vibe one would expect. Michael strode past the little group of silent nurses and stopped mid-way down the dull green-painted hall. Without raising his eyes to meet theirs, he asked the group in a quiet voice.

"Where is he?"

Martha disengaged herself from the group of cowed women and joined Michael in the hallway. Pointing to a door, she indicated where the newest patient resided. Michael nodded briefly without looking at her and walked to the door, entering like a ghost. Martha turned and with a glare, sent the remaining nurses off on their way, with Miriam leaving for her chance to sleep before rejoining her companions for lessons in the afternoon. Training never ended.

Michael walked silently across the room and leaned against the wall, staring at the patient in the bed. A small smile traced over his face as he beheld the attractive man. Jane was sleeping lightly, the pain meds working like magic to free his mind of any anxiety or nightmares. The lecture was still playing over the sound system set into the wall. It had been on all night, playing non-stop on a loop for the unconscious recipient of its wisdom. Michael walked over to the bed and studied Jane more closely. Raking his eyes over every inch of Jane's body, he smiled to himself and reached for Jane's relaxed face, stroking it gently with one long finger.

"Thank you for coming to us Thomas" Michael cooed softly. "We were expecting you." He picked up Jane's hand, avoiding the IV line and studied his graceful fingers.

"You'll be a most welcome addition to our family Thomas" said Michael, as he unfastened the button on his tunic pocket and produced a syringe he had hidden there.

"Let me make you more comfortable. Soon you'll be joining us in study group. We want you to be prepared to fully participate in our journey" he smiled as he uncapped the needle and guided it into the port on the IV line. As he slowly depressed the plunger, he watched Jane's face and smiled when there was no reaction to the drug he had added to the solution.

Leaning down so that his face almost touched that of the sleeping man, Michael paused to examine his newest 'guest'.

"Welcome to your new life Thomas."


	7. Treasures in the Sand

Thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I fell behind in some of my responses, but I read every review and appreciate corrections and suggestions. I take it all to heart. Ok, here is another chapter. Enjoy!

The Messenger

Chapter 7

Treasures in the Sand

Lisbon sat silently in the passenger seat of the FBI SUV, letting Cho do the driving while she ran various scenarios concerning Jane's disappearance over and over in her mind. Cho glanced at her from time to time, knowing she would speak when she was ready. Just when he had decided she needed to be distracted from worry, Lisbon turned to Cho and began to talk.

"He's going to be OK. I know it. He's always OK, right Cho?" Lisbon stated more than asked.

She sounded emotional, vulnerable. So different from the Boss Cho had worked for at the CBI. She was finally allowing herself to feel. Cho had to admit he liked seeing this transition in her, and it was all because she and Jane had finally become the couple they should have been years before. Cho had stupidly not seen it as soon as Abbott and some of the others back in the CBI days, but now, in hindsight, all the signs had been there, if only Cho had looked.

"He's always Ok until he isn't, that's when you save his ass" Cho smirked. Lisbon smiled back, not seeing the road ahead but instead seeing Jane in her mind with his smug expression whenever she had indeed, "saved his ass".

Cho looked over at her. Time to get back on track.

"How did it go when you and Jane went to the Tax office yesterday? Any insights into our victim Carruthers?"

Lisbon sighed and shook her head.

"Ex-marine, did two tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. Graduate of Texas A & M, math major. Studied accounting when he got out of the service and landed this job with the Taxation office. His co-workers said he loved the quiet and predictability of the job. No one shooting at him, all the answers right there in front of him in those rows of numbers. He like the security of the job and his peaceful life. Secretly gay, but everyone at work knew and didn't care."

"Married? Significant other?" prompted Cho.

"Not married. Very involved in his church. Volunteered in his community whenever he had the time. Loved kids, and regretted never having any of his own." Lisbon turned to look at Cho.

"Walter Carruthers seems like a very decent man, who bothered no one and lived a quiet life once out of the Service. So who would want to kill him?"

Cho shook his head in agreement. This murder didn't seem to have any rhyme or reason to it.

"Could he have been involved in something criminal and covered it up by being Mr. Nice Guy? Accountant to the Mob? In debt to someone and unable to pay?" Cho wondered out loud, grasping at straws.

"Could someone from his days in the military have found him, maybe had a score to settle with him and it got out of control?" Lisbon guessed. "Or was it something as simple as homophobia? Did someone decide Carruthers needed to be 'straightened out' and it went too far? I don't know...Abbott will be compiling all of our reports today, so maybe something will shake out that we don't know about. Wylie was doing a background check on Carruthers' financials yesterday afternoon. He might find something."

The two agents tossed ideas around concerning Walter Carruthers and his seemingly spotless life, and had reached no new conclusions about his death by the time they reached the place where the unfortunate man's body had been dumped. Several agents were arriving at the same time and everyone walked over to the crime scene, hoping to find something, anything that forensics had missed. A quick examination turned up nothing. There was nothing new to be learned from this location, so Cho told his agents to fan out to search their assigned routes.

"Where will we go? The road back to Austin is pretty straightforward" stated Lisbon, gazing out into the harsh landscape.

Cho pulled out a paper map and marked out the various highways his teams were going to follow. Tracing a smaller line on the map, Cho pointed to it and circled it for emphasis.

"Here. This road is an offshoot of the main road. There would be no reason for Jane to take it in good weather but there was a storm last night. What if the main highway had been shut down? We need to check and see if there were any flash floods on the main road into Austin. Any flash floods anywhere for that matter" he added for good measure.

"I'll get Wylie on it" said Lisbon, glad to finally have something concrete to do to help find Jane. Pulling out her phone, she noticed there were only 2 bars showing on her screen. Reception this far out was lousy. Hopefully more bars would show up and reception would improve as they drove higher into Hill Country. They were the last to leave the crime scene and followed the other agents back onto the main road. When everyone else turned left, Cho turned right. Perhaps there was a restaurant or rest stop ahead where someone had seen Jane last night. Their first stop at a gas station proved fruitless. The female clerk was the sister of the owner and had worked the previous night during the worst of the storm. Cho flashed a photo of Jane and asked if she had seen him recently. The woman took the photo and walked over to the front window of the small store and studied the smiling face of the blonde man in question. Turning back to Cho and Lisbon, she handed back the photo with a sigh.

"Honey, if that man hadda come here last night, I'd a never forgot! He is some yummy looking specimen! I might'a taken him out back and made him a member of the family, if you know what I mean!" she said enthusiastically. "Sorry, never made his acquaintance, unfortunately. But send him my way when you do find him OK Sugar?" she said with gusto. Cho just said 'Uh huh' and pocketed the photo while Lisbon rolled her eyes and headed for the door.

"Remind me to never let Jane near that woman! Talk about a cougar…" Lisbon groused.

Cho snorted in agreement and they once again took to the dusty road and searched for another place where Jane may have pulled over. Lisbon got through to Wylie on her cell and asked for flash flood information. That done, they drove on. Several miles later they saw a dingy diner up ahead, with just one car parked out front.

"This looks nice" said Lisbon sarcastically, as she and Cho slammed the car doors and walked towards the building. The old aluminium door slammed hard behind them when they entered, and they glanced around at the tired, dusty place with disdain. Although Jane had no problem eating at greasy spoon diners that Lisbon often had little faith in, he was always right about the great food to be found in some of the sketchier looking places. This, however, was even below his very generous standards. The black haired woman standing behind the counter looked up at them and cast a quick glance back through the kitchen window opening to get the attention of the cook. Cho looked around the diner and resolved not to touch anything if he could possibly avoid it. Lisbon was already on her way over to the counter to speak with the pale woman.

Taking the photo of Jane out of her pocket, she held it out under the woman's nose and asked the key question.

"Excuse me, have you seen this man? We think he may have come this way some time yesterday, perhaps late in the afternoon."

The woman glanced very briefly at the photo and shook her head, no, wordlessly. Cho stepped up to the counter and held his photo out.

"Take another look. This man is missing. He was driving a black SUV and may have stopped in here during the storm."

The woman made a show of looking harder at the photo, then shook her head again. Cho turned and looked at the man in the kitchen feigning disinterest. Walking into the dirty kitchen, Cho held out the photo and asked the same question. The man was at least somewhat talkative.

"Nope, sorry. Can't say I ever saw him. Nice looking guy like that I'm sure we both would have remembered him, right Mom?" he said to the dour woman behind the counter.

"Right" she muttered.

Cho thanked the man then stepped out of the kitchen and re-joined Lisbon at the counter, staring at the old diner with critical eyes. Jane would have been fascinated by this place, even if he wouldn't actually eat here until it was cleaner. Lisbon wandered over to the cooler chest and saw a variety of bottled drinks inside. Reaching inside, she took a bottle of sweet tea out for herself and turned to Cho.

"Cho! Water, cold tea, lemonade, cola?" she asked, calling out the types of available drinks. There were not that many places that sold old-style glass bottled soda and juice anymore, plastic now being much more popular, but here time had stood still and the retro-styled bottles appealed to her.

'Just water, thanks" Cho answered, handing a five dollar bill over to the woman. Once he had pocketed his change, they left and climbed back into their SUV.

"Well wasn't she just a beam of sunshine!" scoffed Lisbon. "No wonder it looks like no one ever goes there. She would depress anyone out of eating, even if the place didn't look like it was condemned by the Health Department."

"Maybe she should get out of the service industry" smiled Cho, glad to see Lisbon's mood lift since this morning.

"What service?" came her caustic reply.

They continued down the highway, stopping at another gas station with the same negative results. No one along here had seen Jane or his car. This was turning out to be a wild goose chase. Up ahead Cho saw his side road coming up and left the main road to explore this route. Not too far along the narrow highway took a sharp bend and Cho slammed on his brakes. The road was completely closed off due to a mini-landslide. Dried mud, broken trees and shrubs littered the asphalt and large rocks lay scattered like marbles all along the side of the road and out onto the pavement as well. There was a wire running along the side of the road but it was bent and twisted, as if an elephant had squashed it flat with a large foot. Cho and Lisbon both stepped out of the SUV wordlessly, both thinking the same bad thoughts. Stepping through the crusting mud, they walked over to the side of the road and looked up, then down. A clear pathway had been carved into the hillside above them where a river of mud and water had cascaded down and crashed into the roadway. At the edge of the roadway a large crest of torn up trees and plants lay enmeshed in the wire, glued into place with mud. Cho stepped forward and looked over the edge as far as possible, with Lisbon right behind him. Holding onto Cho for support, she looked everywhere for signs of a black SUV below. There was nothing. No vehicle or anything else for that matter. Just a mass of vegetation displaced by the flash flood above. Both Cho and Lisbon were relieved and disappointed in equal measure in not finding a trace of Jane's vehicle. So he had not gone over the edge... that was a blessing. Cho sighed audibly and turned to go back to his SUV when a small glint of something bright caught his eye. He stopped and turned around, leaning over the edge again.

'What is it Cho?" asked Lisbon, concerned once again.

"I just thought I saw something shiny down there" he said, uncertain if he had really seen anything in the blinding sun.

"Where? Where did you see it?" Lisbon pressed him.

Pointing a little to the right of the mass of torn up trees and shrubs, Cho indicated a spot just beyond the spot where the flood had landed. Lisbon grabbed Cho's hand and leaned out as far as she safely could. Putting her other hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun, she looked again, hoping to see...what? Garbage shining in the Texas sun? Foil from a discarded potato chip bag? What?

"I see it! I see it now, something definitely shining!" she said with excitement. Turning to Cho, she pulled herself back from the edge and said the only thing that made any sense to her right now.

"I'm going down there for a look!"

Before Cho could argue, she was already walking back to the SUV, looking for a safe way down the hill. Cho quickly followed, as he would not be able to rest until they had investigated every possible clue.

Slipping and sliding their way down the hill in their office shoes, Cho and Lisbon were a little worse for wear when they finally got to the bottom of the small hill. There below was the pile of mud and debris deposited by the flood the previous night. There was no sign of a car. Lisbon walked in the direction of the shiny object, kicking at the low growing shrubbery with her foot, careful to avoid cacti along the way. It was hot work and Cho was right beside her, checking every plant and small tree for something, anything. Lisbon stepped forward, pulling a small shrub apart with her hand to get to the middle of it when she stopped suddenly and called Cho over. Bending down, she grabbed what she had been looking for. With a final grunt, she lifted a long muddy lemonade bottle out of the shrub. The same type of bottle they had just seen at the grungy diner a few miles away on the main road.

"Look, Cho, it could only have come from that diner. What if Jane bought it and somehow it got down here?" she asked with enthusiasm. Cho was less impressed with her find.

"Anyone could have tossed it out of a car window at any time. Anyone" he said, sorry to deflate her hopes at a finding a clue. Lisbon knew he was right, but she couldn't just give up, not yet. She walked around in a circle, frustrated and desperate to find another hint that could help them. Kicking at a small patch of weeds, her foot caught on something, tripping her up. Lisbon bent down and felt around to see what her foot had snagged. Cho was just about to call her to go back to their car when she straightened up, her treasure in her hand.

"Maybe we need to go back and speak with those people again!" she said triumphantly, waving a bent license plate in her hand. A plate from a Federal vehicle. Cho rushed over and grabbed his phone, snapping a photo of the plate and forwarded it to Wylie. Texting him to stop whatever he was doing and run the plate, they would soon know just what vehicle this had once belonged to.

Lisbon was already on her way back up the hill, grasping the bottle and the license plate in her hands like rare jewels. Once they were both back up to the main road Cho's phone was ringing with a call from Wylie. Putting it on speaker, Cho answered.

"Talk to me." Cho barked.

"It's one of ours Cho. That plate belongs to the SUV Jane took out yesterday. No question." said Wylie with certainty.

Cho ended the call and followed Lisbon back out to the edge of the road overlooking the valley below.

"He's out there somewhere Cho. Since last night, in that storm. We're looking at a crime scene" she said with finality, turning to her friend with sadness etched into her face. Cho couldn't argue with her and reached for his phone again. Service was good here on the hill and he took advantage of it to call in a request for a forensics team to come out and scour the valley directly below for anything that would cast light on Jane's disappearance. Lisbon listened to his call as a professional, trying to keep her emotions in check. She walked back to the SUV, still clutching the license plate and bottle to her chest. She needed answers and she wouldn't stop until she got them.

"Forensics is on the way. We'll need to give them the bottle and the license plate to check for any fingerprints or paint chips, anything that will help in the investigation" Cho said, all business now. Lisbon looked down at both items, contaminated with her fingerprints and DNA. She should have known better. First year, rookie mistake! Don't touch the evidence! Blushing in embarrassment, she put the items down on the backseat and silently thanked Cho for not pointing out her faux pas.

Both she and Cho sat in the SUV, looking out at the vista beyond the roadway, each contemplating what could have happened. A thought occurred to Lisbon and she turned to Cho to bounce it off him.

"Where's Jane's SUV? Shouldn't it be down there if it went over the edge?"

Cho nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "IF it went over the edge in the flash flood, yes, it should be. But what if Jane was sideswiped, or rear ended and the plate popped off and fell down the hill in the storm? We wouldn't find the SUV then" he surmised.

"But if he was in a crash, someone would have seen something somewhere. We had officers out last night searching for him and the car. Did Wylie call it in to the local hospitals and clinics? Do they have a John Doe admitted after an accident?" Lisbon asked all in a rush.

Cho turned and looked at his best friend, torn between being her boss when Abbott left and being her friend in a time of need. She was grasping at straws, and voiced her concerns in an unguarded way that surprised him. She had never been this emotional in the past.

"Wylie called all the hospitals and private clinics and sent Jane's photo to them. No one has seen him" Cho answered her. "How about we go back to the diner and speak to our friendly hostess over there, see if she is a bit more cooperative now. We can give the bottle and SUV plate to Forensics when we get back."

Lisbon nodded and buckled up for the ride back to the dismal diner a few miles down the road. She hoped their visit this time would prove to be more fruitful.


	8. Who Are You?

I have a couple of chapters already written, and soon I will be away, so here's another chapter for you. Thank you for the positive reviews. It is gratifying that you find this story so compelling. Thanks!

The Messenger

Chapter 8

Who Are You?

Jane was not sleeping. Not really. There existed a lovely state of heavy dozing that came just before sleep, or just before fully awakening, and that's where he lingered at the moment. It was nice, warm, peaceful.

He might have stayed in that cocoon of drowsiness if a nurse had not come in and roughly grabbed his wrist to take his pulse. Her cold hands shocked him out of his foggy state. His eyes sprang open at her intrusion and he reacted by pulling his hand out of hers. Trying to sit up, Jane recovered his sense of personal space as quickly as possible.

"I just need to take your vitals and then I will leave you alone" she told him abruptly.

Jane kept his hand to himself and looked around the spartan room. Hospital room apparently, seemed familiar somehow. Something odd about it… what… he searched his small space...what…oh, there it was.

No windows. No windows for a sick person to gaze out of to kill boredom. Strange.

"Where am I?" Jane croaked, finding his voice.

"Still in the hospital, I'm afraid" said the nurse kindly. "We've been through this before Sir. Don't you remember?"

Jane looked at her, trying to make sense of what she was saying. Been through what before? Did he ask the same question once before and forget?

"What hospital? Where?" he asked, not sure if he had just forgotten the answers or if this nurse was new and assumed he should know what was going on.

Before she could answer, he asked another question. "Am I sick?"

Martha was about to answer his questions when the door opened silently and a tall thin man entered the room. Seeing Michael hovering by the door, Martha gave Jane a quick smile and left his bedside as quickly as possible. As soon as the door closed behind Martha, the tall man approached the bed and looked down at the confused patient.

"Hello again. Feeling better?" he asked, taking in Jane's inquisitive eyes. He had last seen Jane only a few hours earlier, so he was keen to speak with him now that he was awake.

"Hard to say. Better than what?" snapped Jane, distinctly unsettled by the whole situation. What wasn't he remembering?

"A wise consideration. What can I tell you Thomas? What would you like to know?" said Michael softly.

"Thomas? My name's not Thomas. Call me Mr. Jane" said Jane, confused by the new name.

"Today it's Mr. Jane? Is that what you would like to be called today?" smiled Michael.

"It's what I like to be called every day. Patrick Jane. And you are?" he asked in return.

Jane stared at Michael's imperturbable face and couldn't read him. What was this guy up to?

Michael smiled a large, lizard-like grin, with impossibly white, perfectly aligned teeth. He could have been in a toothpaste commercial.

"I am Michael. I'm in charge here and want you to feel better. You were in rough shape when you were brought in. But you seem to be on the mend now" he said happily.

Jane tore his eyes off Michael and looked at himself. He seemed to be fine, but his ankle throbbed under the blanket. Was it broken? A headache was building as well but maybe some biofeedback would take care of that.

"Brought in… was I in an accident?"

"You don't remember do you?" said Michael, not surprised his newest patient was confused. Drugs do that to a person.

"You were in very bad accident and were found unconscious in your car. You suffered a head injury and a badly damaged ankle. At first we thought the head injury was minor, but your inability to remember anything is a cause for concern. You ankle isn't broken but will take quite some time to heal. Crutches will be your best friends soon enough."

Michael took another step closer to the bed and ran his eyes over Jane's body, liking what he saw. At some point a nurse had taken Jane's turban of bandages off his head and left a large flesh coloured bandage covering his gash instead. The IV had been removed as well. Staring at Jane, Michael mused. Here was a man of intelligence and drive. Even banged up and drugged, he was a fighter. Michael could use a man like that around here, if he learned his place.

"We've been over this a few times already Thomas, I'm sorry you don't remember any of it. But give it time, you will get well."

"Why are you calling me Thomas? I told you, my name is Patrick Jane. Check my ID in my wallet. Make some phone calls and you'll see I am not so brain damaged that I don't know my own name" Jane said in frustration.

Michael walked around the room, considering what his patient had told him. Stopping at the foot of the bed, he looked at Jane and broke the bad news to him.

"You came in with no identification on you. No driver's license, nothing. So we have nothing to go on. But let me explain why you are called Thomas now." Michael paused, then smiled kindly at Jane.

"Let's begin with Patrick Jane. Today, your name is Patrick Jane" he began. Jane started to argue but Michael cut him off. "Two days ago, you told me your name was Wayne Malloy, from Houston. You insisted, that was your name. A few days before that, you told me that your name was Richard Cryer, from Winslow, Alabama. Last week you said your name was Timothy Harper. Further back than that, there were other names, but they don't bear remembering. Each time you rouse yourself from a deep sleep, you have a new name, a new place you came from, even new professions each time. We decided to call you Thomas, to make things much simpler. Plus, if you know your Bible, Thomas was also a doubter" Michael explained.

Michael walked back around until he stood beside the bed again.

"You don't have any idea who you are, do you?"

Jane was surprised at this story. It was ludicrous. He knew who he was and where he was currently living. He was a consultant with the FBI, in Austin. He… something caught his attention.

"You said 'each time I wake up'. But I was just brought in yesterday, last night. I'm sure of it. Ask Miriam, she took care of me. I remember Miriam" he said with conviction.

"Ah yes… Miriam. You're right, we do have a nurse by that name working here, but she has been in a re-training program for the past two weeks. You were injured around three weeks ago, give or take a day or two. We have been quite concerned about your mental health. Apparently the blow to your head was more serious than we first suspected."

Jane let this sink in. Yes, there was a nurse he remembered, but that had to have been last night, or this morning, he was sure of it. He ran a hand over his face and found it clean shaven. For the last few months he had worn a short scruffy beard, enjoying the ease of care it afforded him and reminded him of his more easy going days on the island. Plus, Lisbon liked it.

Lisbon.

"Who shaved me?" he asked.

"One of the nurses looks after that for you. Hopefully you will be up and around more now and can look after your own personal care from now on" Michael explained.

Jane had had enough of this inane conversation. He wanted to speak to Lisbon as soon as possible. She must be worried sick at his disappearance.

"Call Dennis Abbott, or Kimball Cho at the Austin FBI bureau. Tell them I'm here. They'll be worried. Call Teresa Lisbon at the FBI first though. She needs to be told I'm OK. Can you do that Michael?" Jane asked him, sure that one phone call would solve his problems quickly.

Michael looked sadly at Jane and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, no. We are so far out here in the desert that we have no cell phone coverage or land lines. We just don't need them on a day to day basis. We are completely self sufficient in most ways. We feed and clothe ourselves, do our own repairs. So, we have even learned how to manage without phones. Whenever we do need to go into town, we can make calls then, but only if absolutely necessary. The last two times you insisted we make calls on your behalf, it was quite embarrassing. You supplied us with false names. No one knew you at the companies you claimed to work for. I'm sorry, we just can't keep doing that" he said with regret.

"Call the police then! Ask them if anyone has filed a missing persons report for someone who looks like me. Surely you can risk embarrassment to do that!" shouted Jane, his patience at an end. The pounding in his head was beginning to overwhelm him.

Michael reached for Jane's hand and held it for a moment before Jane pulled it away in anger.

"The next time we have to make a trip into town we will do just that. But be warned, the last time we did that, no one had reported you missing. No one, Thomas. But, if you insist, we will try again."

"I'll come with you. See if I can reach Teresa Lisbon myself. Then I can be on my way. Anything I owe you for my medical expenses will be paid in full by the FBI" Jane suggested. The idea that he could be on his way out of here soon was making him a bit more reasonable.

Michael contemplated this suggestion and smiled at Jane.

"That is a very good idea. Get a bit stronger, eat well and get up on your feet using crutches, and we will come and get you when the car is leaving for the city. Sound good?" he promised.

"Sounds good" agreed Jane, placated for the moment and very worn out from his frustrating conversation with this odd man. If he had to spend a short time here getting up on his feet, it would be worth it when he got back to Teresa's arms again. God he hoped it hadn't been 3 weeks since he vanished. Lisbon must be worried sick. How he could ever make it up to her, he didn't know. But he would do his best to get back to her as soon as possible.


	9. The Show

Ok, here's another one for you - two in one day! Whooo hoo!

The Messenger

Chapter 9

The Show

Michael left the room as silently as he had arrived. Jane fell back against his pillow and thought over everything the ghostly man had told him. Not much of it made any sense. Three weeks. How was it possible that he was so confused? Had he really been here for three weeks and no one had told Lisbon? She must be either sick with worry or absolutely furious by now. And just what was this place anyway? Michael said they were very far out in the desert, but just what kind of a place would be that far removed from any large town or city? A school? A medical facility/research centre? A religious retreat? Judging from his hippie clothing and long hair, perhaps Michael was some kind of crunchy granola guru to rich, disaffected Austinites who were tired of the daily grind and needed some enlightenment to make themselves feel better while they sipped their fat-free lattes. Jane didn't actually care who or what Michael was. He seemed non-threatening enough. Odd that he couldn't get a read off him… his head injury was having an impact on his mentalist abilities. Even his biofeedback techniques were not making a dent in his headache. He lay in bed gathering his thoughts until a nurse entered carrying a large tray of food. Fearing tasteless hospital fare, Jane was pleasantly surprised to find lightly scrambled, moist eggs, two strips of bacon, a croissant and a cup of hot water with a tea bag next to it. Digging in with gusto, Jane relaxed as his stomach filled up with the first great meal he had had since… well now, he wasn't sure anymore. At this rate he would be well enough to travel very soon, bum ankle or not!

40 minutes after Jane finished eating, a state of melancholy settled on him. He didn't feel particularly unwell, but if pushed hard enough, he was ashamed to admit he just might cry. Was lying here in bed having that much of an effect on him? Each passing minute Jane felt more and more like an imminent tragedy would reveal itself, and it made him uneasy, worried, emotional. When his door opened at the top of the hour, he started, surprised by the sudden intrusion into his quiet room. He was an emotional wreck.

"Ready to get out of here for a while and meet some new people for a change?" asked the cheerful red-haired nurse. Jane was sure he hadn't met her before, but of course, he could be wrong.

'Hello, I'm Patrick" he said, refusing to go by 'Thomas' no matter what Michael had decided. The nurse seemed unsettled by his use of that name, but carried on.

"I'm Hannah. Nice to see you again" she said, leaving out any reference to his name. "I have a wheelchair ready for you. Sorry, the lessons with the crutches will begin shortly. I hope you don't mind" she smiled, pushing the dreaded chair with wheels forward towards the bed.

"Can't hardly refuse can I?" said Jane, glad to get out of this depressing room for any reason. First he made a visit to the washroom, then, covered with a cotton blanket, he was wheeled out of his room and down the sterile green hallway. He looked behind himself down the hallway to see just what the place looked like finally. Not much to see. Looked like a small nursing station part way down the hall, and a few side rooms. The large door at the end of the hall was interesting... where did that go to? Losing sight of it, Jane swivelled back around to see where he was going now. The nurse wheeled Jane towards a broad doorway at the emergency entrance, which led to the outside and for the first time since...well since who knows when…Jane breathed fresh air and felt invigorated by it. While he craned his neck to look this way and that on his way to a larger building nearby, about 2 dozen other people wearing cotton outfits in various pastel shades also walked towards the building. They had come from smaller buildings dotted around the large, grassless square. In the centre of the square, like a plaza, was a lectern and a chair. Odd, thought Jane. But none of this made any sense. As far as he could see, Jane saw nothing of importance. If there was a fence surrounding the property, he couldn't see it. It appeared the buildings sat on acres and acres of land. Whether there was a gate at the end of the road leading away from the compound, he couldn't tell. If he was to run in any direction, he was pretty sure he wouldn't get far before someone from the compound found him. Better to wait for the drive into Austin.

The nurse entered the large building and followed the crowd towards a small auditorium. Inside, the room was swathed in heavy burgundy curtains covering the side walls and across the back wall behind a low stage at the front of the room. In the centre of the stage was a large upholstered chair and a lectern. The people filed in silently and arranged themselves in rows according to the colour of their tunics and pants. The blues sat closest to the stage, followed by those wearing brown, rusty orange, pale green and finally, steel grey. Those people filled the last rows and looked as unfamiliar with the proceedings as Jane was. He noted with chagrin that his pajamas were the same dull grey colour as that worn by the few people in the last row. No matter, the nurse pushed his chair forward until he was about halfway up the room, on the side nearest an outside wall. The room only held about 100 people at the maximum, and only half the seats were filled when the doors at the back of the room were closed. The nurse stayed with Jane and like everyone else, turned her full attention towards the stage, as if waiting for her favourite rock star to appear. The room was remarkably quiet considering the number of people gathered there. All eyes were glued to the stage. There was no idle chatter, no talking at all in fact. Jane looked around and felt an uneasiness building up inside him. His curiosity was fully aroused and he was about to turn around and ask his nurse a question about today's activities when suddenly everyone in the room stood up as one and put their hand on their heart. Jane looked at the group in wonder then turned to see what was going on. Michael had materialized in the centre of the stage and stood at the lectern, wearing a black suit and a large black fedora. With his silver hair resting on his shoulders he looked like a cross between a genteel Southern gentleman and the devil. At a signal from somewhere, the group sat down and leaned forward, intent to catch every word. Jane scanned the crowd looking for nurse Miriam, but she was not in the row of people wearing pale green, her colour. He couldn't see her anywhere, but perhaps her training sessions didn't permit her the time to attend this lecture.

Michael put his hands together and began to speak. His voice was deep and rich, a rolling sound that was quite captivating. It occurred to Jane that Michael would make a great late night radio announcer. He had the kind of voice that rolled out of a car radio and wove itself into the night as you drove along in the darkness. The subject matter was not terribly exciting or even original. Michael talked about looking inward for knowledge of your true self. It was a task only the strongest dared undertake, with many failing at the attempt, he warned.

"Are you strong enough to face your true self?" he asked the group. Heads nodded in agreement, with those in the back row nodding the most enthusiastically.

"What would you be willing to do to gain the knowledge of the prophets, the knowledge of the gods who came before this age? Would you be willing to ask for guidance, for instruction, for correction and punishment?"

A murmur of agreement flowed across the room. Michael spoke softly, soothingly, like a loving parent encouraging his child to do his best, to try harder, to work harder, to show what he was capable of. Jane found nothing especially enlightening in the talk but he had to agree that he felt good listening to words that could only make a meek person braver through self-effort. Logic and reason were not intruding on his thoughts as they usually would have. Jane felt uncharacteristically swayed by Michaels words, drawn in and soothed. He couldn't know that his compliance was guaranteed by the injection Michael had given him this morning. The drug in his food at lunch time was also working its' way through his system, leaving him emotional and open to Michael's words. His usual aversion to religious leaders and authority figures in general was now absent.

Gradually Michael's voice grew stronger, more strident. His smooth face was no longer peaceful and relaxed. Deep creases formed on his forehead and his right hand balled up into fist as he pounded his left palm with each point he was making. Jane was mesmerized. Michael left the lectern and paced across the stage, listing the shortcomings of men, their horrendous failings, painful admissions of the weaknesses of the human race. Pride, greed, lust, gluttony, jealousy, common failings of the masses everywhere were exposed. The list was long and shameful. Each person in the room squirmed with the knowledge that their sins were sitting somewhere in Michael's list. Each one of them had failed in life. Then the list took a darker tone. Hatred, sexual perversion, war mongering, starvation, murder! There were murderers amongst them! Jane shifted uncomfortably in his wheelchair. It was as if Michael could see right through him, knew his past, his murderous pursuit of Red John and his final, slow, torturous strangulation of that lunatic. His multitude of failings to his dead family also lived in that list and called out to him, gut punching him in a way he had not experienced for a long time. Michael's rant continued, his eyes scanning the hushed crowd for any sign of disinterest. Michael had been studying the crowd even as they watched him in rapt attention. A young man in the back row turned and made a comment to the fellow beside him, who tried his best to ignore his seat mate's whispered remarks.

"Sinners are everywhere! We are surrounded by them, even here in this place of refuge!" Michael yelled. Heads turned as the cotton-clad listeners looked around to see who had caught The Messenger's attention.

"I see you. I see you as if the rays of the sun were burning you in a white hot flame!" he shouted, as his hand came up and a long, narrow, shaking finger pointed to the man in the back row. The unsettled man looked left and right, finally realizing the roomful of people were staring at him. Michael had seen his whispered conversation with his unwilling seat mate. Nothing escaped Michael's attention.

"Stand up. Come to me!" said Michael with as much control in his voice as he could muster.

Jane was now watching the entire proceedings with a detached amusement, like he was watching a movie, and a pretty lame one at that. His usually sharp intellect was dulled, muted into a numb acceptance of whatever was going on in this small lecture hall. He was just grateful Michael had stopped talking about murderers. Because Jane knew that Michael knew. Somehow, Michael knew Jane's deepest secrets.


	10. Beloved Liar

I am getting some great feedback from my readers. You are guessing what these crazy people are up to, and it's nice to see you trying to figure out the plot. Here is another chapter ready to go. Just a few more before I go away on vacation.

The Messenger

Chapter 10

Beloved Liar

The grey clad man in the back row hesitated too long in standing up and following the orders of The Messenger. Out of the shadows two men appeared, also wearing dark suits, who took the shaken young man by the upper arms and guided him out of his chair and pulled him down the aisle towards the stage. Michael came down a small set of steps and was waiting at the front of the room when the man was placed in front of him. The suited men then stepped away and faded back into the shadows.

"Jeremiah. Why would you do this to me? My beloved Jeremiah" said Michael sadly. He stood staring at the cowed man, glaring at him until Jeremiah had to look away. The tension in the room grew heavier the longer Michael stood silently contemplating the shaky man in front of him. Michael stayed still with his eyes fixed on Jeremiah for an uncomfortably long time. Seconds stretched into minutes, until the agony of the silence was finally broken and Michael spoke again.

"Do you have an explanation for your actions?" Michael finally said, leaning in close to the man's face and speaking softly. "Is there a reason you continue to let me down, let down your friends and fellow searchers in our journey? Tell me what is on your mind Jeremiah, I want to learn from you."

Turning to the room, Michael addressed the waiting crowd.

"We all want to know what is on your mind Jeremiah. Teach us! Enrich us! Illuminate us with your considerable wisdom, your bountiful wisdom, your overflowing wisdom!" he said, punctuating each word with a poke of his long index finger into Jeremiah's chest, until he was crying out in pain. "The wisdom you had to share with your friend!"

"Teach us Jeremiah!" Michael shouted now, his face contorting into a mask of rage. "Share your knowledge, as it must surely surpass mine!"

The man in grey shook his head in confusion and horror for being caught showing disrespect to The Messenger, of all people. All eyes in the small auditorium were on the young man now.

"I… I .. I don't know anything Michael!" he blubbered, tears falling down his cheeks in panic. "I'm sorry, I don't know anything…" he cried as Michael stood back and took in the pathetic sight in front of him. "I wasn't saying anything important to John, I swear it!"

Jane leaned forward in his wheelchair, watching this frightening show of power and control. It both attracted and repulsed him. And oddly, it frightened him.

"Is this man telling the truth, or is he a liar?" Michael called out to the hushed room. "Can he be trusted or is he a pariah, a leech, a man so filled with his own self-importance that he would disregard what all of you so desperately seek to discover?" he asked, raking his eyes over the rows of solemn faces, until a voice answered his question.

"He's a liar Michael!"

Another voice lifted above the crowd. "A leech Michael!" Gradually voices rose in a cacophony of accusations…"A liar!" "The devil amongst us Michael!" "A pariah wasting your precious gifts Michael!"

Soon it was hard to discern what was being said as each person shouted his own accusations to be heard above the din. With each condemnation the man in grey seemed to shrink more and more until he cowered in front of Michael like a lamb in a lion's cage. Michael stood with his eyes shut, his head down, deep in thought. The crowd hushed. Something was about to happen.

Lifting his head, Michael sadly beheld his benighted disciple.

"Jeremiah. My friend. My beloved."

Michael ran his hand over Jeremiah's cheek, caressing it like a lover. " See how you have caused heartache? My heart is broken. Do you enjoy the pain you have caused to your brothers and sisters?" Michael asked him softly. The people stilled to hear what else The Messenger might have to say. "The chair is empty" Michael said, turning to point at the chair standing in the middle of the stage. "It is empty for a reason Jeremiah. You have stayed the advancement of all of us here at the Refuge."

Taking Jeremiah's hand in his, Michael once again lowered his voice so that all had to strain to hear his words.

"The chair stands empty, but it could have been filled today. Could you have filled it?" he asked the frightened man, who shook his head from side to side, no… not him. "Could this worthy woman have taken a seat on my right hand today Jeremiah?" asked Michael again, pointing to an older woman in deep blue sitting in the front row. She was a true believer, one of his earliest disciples. Jeremiah had a panicked look on his face. How should he answer that question? No one knew when the chair would be filled, and by whom. Who was worthy enough to be Michael's equal?

"I am sorry Michael, truly sorry" said Jeremiah, tears and snot sliding down his tortured face.

"I meant no disrespect and I know I should have been listening more and not concerned with my own thoughts and comments. I know that and I ask for correction Michael" said the man sincerely.

Michael placed his hand on the grey man's shoulder and smiled deeply, pleased to hear his words of contrition. "Thank you Jeremiah. Thank you. You have no idea how happy you make me, hearing your wise words. Growth on our path is always painful and requires public scrutiny. But you do know that you will have to unlearn your negative tendencies, don't you?" he hissed, smiling at the hapless man.

Nodding his head in agreement, Jeremiah meekly whispered "yes". At a signal from Michael, the two black suited men emerged from the shadows once again and grabbed the innocent man Jeremiah had spoken to during the speech and hauled him out of his chair in the back row. Jeremiah watched in horror as his friend John was dragged to the back of the room and disappeared through the door and out of sight.

"Michael please! John did nothing wrong! It was me! I spoke during your lecture, John ignored me, refused to speak to me, he was good Michael, he was good! It was me - correct me!" he begged, putting his hands on Michaels chest to implore him for mercy.

Michael brushed the man's hands away in disgust and spoke in a voice loud enough for all to hear.

"See how evil works my friends? See how it begins?" Heads nodded in unison as they listened in rapt attention.

"Jeremiah has poured his evil into the ear of poor brother John. Such evil cannot be unheard, contaminating the vessel and spoiling the fruit. All John has learned has been spoiled by this worm, this infection, created by Jeremiah. It will take root and rot our good friend John. Can we allow that?" The Messenger shouted.

"No Michael!" screamed the excited crowd.

"Does John need our help?" yelled Michael, whipping the people up into a frenzy.

"Yes Michael!" they replied.

"And what about poor Jeremiah? What can we do for his soul? Give me your answer!" he thundered.

"Save it!" screamed every man and woman present.

"Shall we save Jeremiah?" repeated The Messenger.

"Save him!" called the crowd as one.

Michael smiled and raised his hands up to quiet his people, his children. A hush fell over the auditorium as he turned back to look at a completely terrified Jeremiah.

"Go, and learn from your transgressions" he said, as the two black suited men stepped forward once again and guided him slowly out of the room. Jeremiah did not resist.

As Michael turned and mounted the steps to the stage, Jane leaned back in his wheelchair, bewildered by what he had just witnessed. He felt sweat on his brow and his heart racing wildly in his chest. He was feeling frightened by what he had just seen, unable to figure out what was going on. Confusion was his constant companion today and with it came a great fatigue. His nurse looked down at him and saw his anxiety, so she pulled his chair around and left the room before the rest the people started to file out. Michael had left the stage, so there was nothing more to see.

Jane felt slightly nauseous and dizzy and revived slightly once outside again in the fresh air. What the hell was going on? Where was he? Who were these people? As groups of men and women walked back across the courtyard he studied them with concern, seeing them as moving blocks of colour, not individual people. Blues walking with blues, greens with greens, the oranges and browns scurrying in another direction. They seemed like puzzle pieces re-assembling themselves randomly on a large outdoor board. Jane felt bile rising up in his throat and made to empty his stomach over the side of the wheelchair. His red-haired nurse waited until he was done heaving, then gave him a tissue and hurried inside to put him back to bed. His day had been exhausting and he was clearly not feeling well. With some help, Jane climbed up onto his bed and fell back onto the pillows with relief. The pain in his foot was ratcheting up with all of the movement he had just endured. The headache that he had awakened with was still roosting in his brain. The nurse checked his pulse and temperature, then left. A few moments later Martha came in with a syringe filled with something to calm Jane down. He didn't argue and watched as the needle pierced his arm. Was the injection also part of the show? Who else got the shot? Was that his arm feeling the sharp prick as the needle pushed the liquid under the skin? Martha studied Jane with a smile, seeing his acceptance of her treatment as a good sign. After giving him his shot, she watched as his eyes flickered, then rolled up into his head. He sighed deeply and sank into his pillow, groggy and placid. Once she was sure he was suitably sedated, Martha turned and switched on the sound system high on the wall, and once again Michael's sonorous voice filled the room, offering up another perfect lecture.


	11. The Truth Will Out

Here's another chapter for you!

The Messenger

Chapter 11

The Truth Will Out

Cho and Lisbon turned around and made their way back to the tired old diner just in time to see the cook and the black haired woman get in their car and drive away. Keeping back a discreet distance, Cho allowed another car to overtake him so he could surveille the two suspects. The car drove for a half hour, finally cutting off at a side road and proceeded to a small house set far back from the road. The clapboard siding had once been a light blue, with darker blue shutters adorning the large picture window on the low-slung, ranch style house. Cho watched the pair leave their car under a partition out of the sun and enter the house through a side door. Once they were inside, Cho pulled up and parked on the far side of the lot. Lisbon and Cho walked to the front door and rang the bell, glad that there was no dog barking on the other side of the door. A moment later the old wooden door opened to reveal the black haired woman wearing a flowered house dress and pink slippers. The garish red lipstick had been wiped off, replaced with a clear lipgloss. She looked slightly less outlandish now. Seeing Cho and Lisbon, the woman made to slam the door shut but Cho's heavy shoe stopped her efforts.

"Ma'am, we need to talk to you. We're FBI agents. We met this morning at the diner" said Lisbon with patience. The woman hid behind the door, putting her full body weight against it to keep Cho out.

"Mom! Mom what are you doing out there?" came a voice from the back of the house. A moment later the cook emerged and yanked the door open. A look of shock registered on his face and he was temporarily speechless. Flashing their badges yet again, Cho and Lisbon demanded to be let in, their patience now running low. The man knew he had run out of time, and backed away, opening the door to let the two agents inside the small house.

The diner was a pigsty, but Lisbon was equally shocked when she stepped into the house. It was immaculate. Tasteful furniture graced the large living room, with a few well chosen knick knacks sitting on the fireplace mantle and scattered across the large coffee table in front of the leather sofa. Photographs dotted the room in abundance, showing a happy family in earlier days. An oriental rug, or a imitation oriental rug lay on the polished wooden floor, adding rich colour to the warmly decorated room. Beyond the living room was a small dining room outfitted with a lovely dark wood table and chair set. The table was adorned with a cut glass vase holding a spray of pale pink flowers. More photos were on the walls here too. No doubt the kitchen and bedrooms would be just as tastefully decorated. The interior of the house was classy, well cared for and welcoming, the exact opposite of the interior of the diner. Cho looked as surprised as Lisbon at this turn of events, but took a step further into the room to start his questioning of the pair. As he did so, Lisbon walked the perimeter of the room like Jane always did, gazing at the photos and trying to figure out who these people were in relation to the cook and waitress. Mother and Son, so it appeared.

"I'm going to ask you once again if you have seen this man" Cho said, holding out Jane's photo. ""And let me warn you, lying to a Federal Agent will cause you regrets you don't want to have, not now" Cho said with force. The woman looked like she might faint so Lisbon stepped in and encouraged her to sit on the sofa and calm down. The man followed his mother and they both held hands as they sat and faced their inquisitors.

"Ma'am, please, we know that Mr. Jane came into your diner" said Lisbon, exaggerating their certainty that the lemonade bottle had belonged to Jane and not some random person.

"He purchased a bottle of lemonade last night, left and was never seen again. You're hiding something from us, and we need to know why."

"Let me remind you that Mr. Jane is a Federal Agent. Tell us what you know" said Cho sternly.

The woman looked into Cho's hard face and dissolved in tears, falling into her son's arms. He ignored Cho for a moment and comforted his distraught mother, shhshing her and rubbing her back as she sobbed. Finally he turned to Cho and Lisbon and took hold of the photo. With a quick glance at it he nodded, then handed it back to Cho.

"We saw him last night. He came into the diner when the storm was just beginning. He bought a lemonade and a bag of potato chips. I offered him eggs but he declined. Can't blame him, the diner is a disaster" he said simply.

Cho looked at Lisbon and smiled tightly. Finally a break.

"You lied to us this morning. Why? You set back the investigation into Mr. Jane's disappearance by hours!" he scolded them.

The woman wiped her eyes and slowly pulled herself upright again. Looking around the tidy room, she felt a huge weight could be lifted off her shoulders, like the worries of the world would be handed off to someone else finally. If she could trust these people. They would know everything soon enough anyway.

"We're not bad people, you must believe me. We were just doing what we had to do. What we were told to do" she said, looking at Lisbon, hoping this woman would understand her.

"I don't get it. You live in a lovely home, obviously you care about it, but your diner should be condemned. You're living a double life" Lisbon said. She got up and reached for a photo sitting on the mantle. Bringing it back, she held it out and pointed to the people in the photo. There was the cook, in younger days when he as slimmer and had more hair, but it was him. He had his arm around the shoulders of a slim, pretty young woman who could have been his sister. Next to them stood an attractive older woman, neatly coiffed with a head full of shining silver hair, conservative makeup and tailored clothes. It was the waitress, but she looked so much more reserved and respectable in the photo. Rounding out the photo was a tall smiling man, obviously the woman's husband as he held her hand tightly.

"This is you isn't it?" said Lisbon, pointing to the woman in the photo. The woman leaned forward and took the photo reverently from Lisbon's hand and traced her finger over the picture of the girl and the older man.

"Yes…" she said softly, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. "That's us, in better days. This is me, who I really am…" she said, pointing to herself in the picture. Cho let her ramble. Something was really wrong in this little family.

"And this is my son, as you probably guessed" she said with a sad smile. Her son rubbed her arm and encouraged her to continue.

'This is my husband, God rest his soul. He died four years ago. I miss him every day." She stopped for a moment, then soldiered on.

"And this is my daughter. My beautiful daughter. Evangeline. Evie for short. Isn't she beautiful?" she asked no one in particular, lost in her memories of a happy family years ago.

"Yes, she's lovely" said Lisbon quietly. "Tell us what happened. Where did Mr. Jane go last night after he left your diner?" she asked again.

The man next to her smiled and gave her a slight nod of his head. "Go on Mom, tell them everything."

Cho got out his notepad and pen and started the interview in earnest. "Can we start with some names?"

The woman sniffed and wiped her eyes with a tissue, regaining her composure.

"Of course, of course. I'm Dianna McCall, and this is my son Richard. My husband was Robert, and of course, there is my daughter Evie."

"Where is Evie Mrs. McCall?" asked Lisbon kindly. She didn't want Dianna to fall apart again.

"She's out there, somewhere" Dianna said, waving her hand vaguely through the air.

"Out where?" asked Cho.

Mrs. McCall turned to face Cho directly. "My daughter is a very kind soul, an old soul, some people have told me, if you believe in that sort of thing...and she always wanted to take care of people, stray animals, plants. Any living thing. She was always a very spiritual girl as well. I don't know where she got that from because none of us ever went to church when she was growing up. It was just a need she had, a way to make sense of the world" the woman continued.

Richard took over the story as his mother looked to him for help.

"Evie graduated with top marks from high school then went to Concordia University in Austin for her nursing degree. She loved the patients and the work. The only thing was, there were no jobs forthcoming when she graduated. The few jobs that were out there were scooped up by nurses who had been working for a few years already. A new grad didn't stand a chance of getting one of those positions. She was pretty depressed about it but felt her luck had changed when she met a man one day who told her he needed nurses for his private clinic."

Cho was getting frustrated with this meandering story and still no answers regarding Jane and his visit to the diner. Lisbon could tell he was going to press Richard for news on Jane, so she took the lead. This was all important, somehow.

"So Evie got a job. Happy ending?" she shortcutted to the conclusion of the story.

"No, not a happy ending. The man, Michael, she called him, told her he was running a refuge for people who had issues. Social misfits, chronically unemployed, displaced folks who needed a helping hand up to a better life. Seekers who wanted a quiet, more spiritual existence and wanted to escape the temptations of the city. That's how Michael described his refuge. He was also building a small hospital on-site so he could provide his people with the care they needed. And for that he needed nurses. Evie was interested. This was something she could really enjoy, and the fact that it was a spiritual place was the icing on the cake."

"She took a trip out to the place with Michael and came back home very excited. She wanted to be a part of his Refuge Ranch, as she called it. She gathered her things and a few days later a man came and picked her up to take her there to work."

"How is this a bad ending?" asked Lisbon. "Sounds like a good fit for her and her skill set."

"That's what we thought too" said Diana, leaning forward now, anger rising in her voice. "We thought she would work there and come home to visit whenever she had a free weekend. But months went by before we heard from her again. When she finally contacted us, she was changed. She wasn't herself anymore."

"She was a robot!" Richard interrupted harshly. "A damned robot controlled by that lunatic Michael. She had to work for another 2 months before they would let her come home. It was 5 months from the time she left until we saw her again. By then she was thin and exhausted, and completely under Michael's control. I guess he only let her come home to prove to us she was alive and well. She went back again even though we begged her to stay home with us and try to find a job in Austin again."

"She said she owed everything to Michael and she couldn't let him down. She packed her things and off she went again" said her mother, a red flush of anger skating across her cheeks.

"And what does any of this have to do with Mr. Jane's disappearance?" demanded Cho, his patience gone.

Dianna turned to Cho and looked at him as if the answer was obvious.

"Michael's got him" she stated plainly.

Cho sat up and turned to look at Lisbon, whose face had suddenly lost all of its' colour.

"Why do you say that?" Cho asked, seeing why the long story had to play out.

"Michael has a man, Calvin, who travels around the back country roads trying to make contact with potential Refuge members. We were told by this man that we needed to open up the old diner again so he could meet with more people. The diner used to belong to my uncle years ago, and when he died, my Dad was going to sell it off for the value of the land" explained Richard.

"Can you describe this Calvin to us?" asked Lisbon.

Dianna gave a remarkably accurate physical description of the vile man. She had spent hours studying his weasley face. She would never forget it.

"When Dad died before he could sell the diner and the land, we just locked the doors of the building. Calvin, the man sent from Refuge Ranch, found out we were the owners and demanded that we open it for business again. He came to see us here and by the time he left, we knew we had to do it" continued Richard.

"But why? What was the point if he could just meet people anywhere and try to persuade them to join Michael's group? What about the entire city of Austin, just down the road? Surely the diner was a poor way to do that?" said Lisbon reasonably.

"Calvin said he needed a home base, some place to check in and watch for new people going by. His reasoning sounded nonsensical to us but he had all the power to connect us to Evie, so we had to go along. He warned us that if we didn't do it we would never see Evie again. You have to understand. We don't know where this Refuge Ranch is otherwise we would go and get her ourselves!" continued Dianna.

"We've looked and looked but nothing shows up on any internet search or map. We've driven thousands of miles looking for the Ranch but so far, we can't find it. If standing behind a counter a few hours a day will help to bring Evie home again, I have to do it!" said Dianna, running her hand through her harsh black hair.

"Do you think I like looking like this? This ridiculous hair and the dirty uniform? I know better than to live like that!" said the older woman.

"We reopened the diner like we were told to do, but I'll be damned if I'm going to spend one penny fixing it up to make it more appealing in order to lure some poor soul into Michael's clutches, just for the mistake of coming in for a meal" she continued.

"We hoped that if we kept the diner as filthy as possible, no one would linger. So far it has worked pretty well and Calvin isn't having much luck persuading anyone to go away with him. At least, God, I hope not…" said Richard, deep in thought.

'Your Mr. Jane came in last night. We were as unfriendly as we could be but Calvin was sitting right there on that damned stool he always perches on. We had to offer your agent food at the very least" said Dianna. "We had to show Calvin we were playing by the rules."

"He had the good sense to decline and instead just bought his snacks and left. Calvin warned him to watch out for flash floods and signs on the highway indicating road closures" said Richard.

"What happened when Jane left the diner?" asked Cho.

"I was on the phone with a neighbour of ours, but Mom told me that Calvin called someone on his cell phone the minute Mr. Jane left. After that, we just don't know what became of your agent" Richard concluded.

"Michael has him! That damned Calvin called someone and now Mr. Jane is missing. I heard there was a flash flood not far from here last night. If your agent didn't keep to the main road for some reason, then maybe he got caught up in the flood" she surmised, seeing the possibility of Calvin engineering a roadblock to fool Jane.

Lisbon was on her feet instantly, feeling sick to her stomach. After a very long and circuitous story, the whole mystery was starting to make sense. A check with the Department of Transportation and Roads would soon reveal which roads had officially been closed last night. Cho stood up and closed his notepad.

"Mrs. McCall, Richard, thank you for the information. You've been a big help. Here is my card in case you need to reach me with any news that you think will help" said Cho, handing his business card over to Richard. Lisbon did the same, eager now to get going and find this mystery man Michael, and the location of Refuge Ranch. As they turned to leave, Dianna reached out and took Cho's sleeve in her hand.

"Find my baby Evie. Please! Find my Evie and you'll find your Mr. Jane!"

"We will. Be strong" said Lisbon kindly, then she and Cho let themselves out of the front door. They walked quickly towards their SUV and once inside, sat for a moment digesting this new piece of the puzzle.

Cho turned to Lisbon and gauged her reaction. She was clearly worried. He dared to reach out and patted her hand, a most un-Cho like demonstration of affection.

"We'll find him Lisbon."

Squaring her shoulders with determination, she nodded briskly and wiped a tear away from her cheek.

"I know. Let's go and catch that bastard!" she barked. Cho turned the key and drove off at speed, not bothering to ask if she was referring to Calvin or Michael. It hardly mattered. Both of them were now on the FBI's radar. With luck, their days of power over poor people like Dianna and Evie were numbered.


	12. Finally a Break!

Time is ticking away! Only one more day to write then I'm off, so I decided to publish the next chapter as it was ready to go.

The Messenger

Chapter 12

Finally a Break

Calvin pulled into the diner parking lot expecting it to be open. Dianna and Richard should have been there working at this time of the day but the lights were off and their car was gone. Checking his watch, he grunted in disappointment and put the car into park. He sat for a few minutes contemplating his next move. He hated his life. He hated this stupid pointless job. Hell, right now he hated Michael too, the bastard. When would his debt to that charlatan be paid in full? The money he owed Michael made him a stooge, and Michael had him by the short and curlies. Shit shit shit!

Screw them all. Screw this whole damned backwater, hole-in-the-wall community. He hated it out here but Michael had insisted he pay his penance for screwing up one too many times by plying the back highways for new lambs to sent to the slaughter. That would go towards absolving his huge gambling debt. Calvin liked the city life so much more, with bars and strip clubs in abundance. Plenty of young, nubile women there, not the tired travellers he managed to snare once in a blue moon at the diner or some other God-forsaken place in McCarron County. He sat behind the steering wheel feeling sorry for himself and didn't notice the big black SUV pull in behind him, blocking his exit. He only noticed the man and the woman as they walked across the dusty lot and stood on either side of his car. Mrs. McCall and Richard had provided a very good description of Calvin, and the first thing Cho wanted to do was arrest the low life and put him into an interrogation room back at the office in Austin. Lisbon tapped on his window with a smile, asking him to roll down his window. Calvin was delighted. What a beautiful woman, and she wanted him! He hit the button and his window descended.

"Well hello there Ma'am!" Calvin greeted her. He easily fell into his patented gosh, golly routine, one that had worked remarkably well on some of his less than bright successes in the past.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing out here?" Turning to see Cho on the other side of the car, he dismissed him as an annoyance, preferring to focus on the young lady instead.

"I was wondering if you could help us? We're lost and maybe you could point out how to get back to Austin?" Lisbon asked, looking helpless and weak.

"My pleasure Ma'am!" he said, turning off the car and unbuckling his seatbelt. Cho quietly walked around the car as Calvin stepped out and approached Lisbon. She smiled deeply and thanked Calvin, distracting him as Cho got behind him.

"Now what can I do to help little lady?" Calvin began to say, almost salivating at the chance to speak to a lovely woman who had actually approached him for a change. Lisbon and Cho shocked the hell out of him when they identified themselves as FBI agents and informed Calvin he was under arrest. Calvin made a pathetic attempt to run but it was no contest when dealing with Cho, one of the best takedown agents in the field. Calvin ended up face down in the dirt with two agents on top of him. Lisbon reached around her back and produced handcuffs. Cho read him his rights then hauled him back up onto his feet.

Cho put Calvin into the back of the SUV then called in the arrest. Calvin screamed bloody murder, that it was false imprisonment and he would have their jobs when he was done with them. When he had calmed down momentarily, he demanded to know what charge he was being held on, and when accessory to kidnapping and forcible confinement was mentioned, he looked as if he was going to throw up. The ride back into Austin was a silent one, as Calvin was scared shitless, and Lisbon and Cho were deep in thought, planning their next moves. They had to get this guy to give up Michael, betray him and tell the agents just where Refuge Ranch was located. Once they had that information, it would only be a matter of time before Jane was back on his couch in Austin.

(The Refuge Hospital)

Jane lay in his bed, groggy but awake. Michael was still sermonizing over the loudspeaker and with the passage of time, his voice became deeply annoying. Hours had gone by since the strange event in the auditorium, hours filled with Michael preaching. It was all too much. Jane just wanted Michael to shut up. Some part of Jane's brain was rebelling against the persuasive aspect of the lecture. Jane had heard it all before…sermons like this stored in his memory palace... it all sounded so familiar… so like…

Brett Styles.

Jane's eyes flew wide open at the memory of Styles, the self-made cult leader who had so thoroughly beguiled hundreds of misguided people seeking a better life. As Jane knew, a cult was a cult was a cult. Not much changed in the approach used by various "prophets". Names and causes and goals were interchangeable, but the leader of a cult always used the same basic methods to ensnare and control his followers.

Befriend.

Isolate.

Bomb with love.

Separate from family and friends.

Instruct and promise growth and happiness.

Punish and reward in equal measure to ensure a better future.

Reveal the truth known only by the Messiah, The Teacher, The Messenger… whatever he called himself.

Jane's heart beat faster as the reality of his situation crept up on him. He sat up in bed and breathed deeply. Looking around the room, he felt uneasy. Think. Think dammit! All information was coming from Michael. The guy who ran everything at the Refuge. Jane looked down at his arm and ran a finger over the injection site where Martha had given him a shot hours ago. What was that for? Was it antibiotics or something to make Jane more susceptible to Michael's influence? Jane was leaning in the direction of the latter.

What did Michael say? He said that Jane had been in an accident three weeks ago. Three weeks! So why was he still a patient in a bed in the hospital wing? Wouldn't he be better by now? He wasn't sick, not really. Jane tried to make sense of his situation and had the urge to get out of there. Eyeing his crutches leaning up against the back wall, he eased himself to the edge of the bed and hopped over to the wall to reach them. Each hop caused his foot to bob and dangle painfully, but he wanted to get up and move around on his own without a nurse watching over him. Fitting a crutch under each arm, he swung around and cautiously made his way over to his small bathroom. It took some time, but he managed to get inside then shut and locked the door behind him. Sweating from the effort, he put the crutches against the door and leaned on the small sink. As he stared into the sink gathering his thoughts, a bright drop of blood dripped into the sink. Jane studied it in fascination. Another small drop slid down the white porcelain, brilliant red running to join the first drop until it disappeared down the drain. Where was the blood coming from? Jane lifted his hands up and examined them carefully. His right hand was fine, nothing to see there. He examined his left palm and found it to be fine as well. Then he turned his left hand over and found it. A new scab on an abrasion on his left hand had partially torn off when it rubbed against the handle of the crutch. The cut was in the "L" when he held out his index finger and thumb. Suddenly he had a vision of a bottle cap tearing his skin when he tried to turn it!

A lemonade bottle from a horrid little diner... There was a thunderstorm and he had run to the FBI SUV rather than spend another minute in the grotty diner. He wanted to get home to Lisbon as soon as possible, before the storm got worse. He saw it all like a movie in his mind.

Jane looked up into the bathroom mirror and noticed the flesh coloured bandaid stuck on his scalp. Michael said he had suffered a serious head injury and needed stitches. Three weeks ago. Jane braced himself against the sink and separated his curls away from the sticky bandage, carefully pulling the end of the tape until gradually, the flesh coloured plaster fell away from his scalp. Jane leaned forward and stared at the hot red cut, running a finger gently along the line of stitches still in place. Stitches still in place…. After three weeks?

No way!

Jane hopped over and sat on the toilet seat lid, and lifted up his twisted ankle. It throbbed and rebelled against being touched, but he gritted his teeth and worked slowly to unwrap the long elastic tensor bandage wound around and around his tender foot. If he had twisted it, even very badly three weeks ago, by now the swelling would have gone down and the bruising would have gone from deep burgundy and black/blue, to a light green/yellow. The last of the elastic bandage fell off of his foot and he stared at his ankle. It was swollen, red/burgundy, black and blue, a fresh injury if he had ever seen one.

Jane put his head in his hands and sighed. It was all a sham. He was right all along, even drugged and dopey, he had been right. He must have been drugged because his injuries were fresh, only hours old. He had only been found in the last 24 hours, he was sure of it now. The story of being there, nameless and unclaimed for 3 weeks was a lie meant to convince him that no one was looking for him, that no one cared if he was missing.

Michael sure as hell wasn't going to take him by car into the city to announce himself as found. Jane considered everything he could remember from the day. He was pretty sure Michael had come in to see him this morning. Then he fell deeply asleep. Was he drugged even then? Lunch had been very good, but then he was groggy and taken out to the event in the auditorium. That spectacle had left him frightened and emotional. Snorting at the realization that he had been manipulated into being influenced by Michael's show, Jane considered that his lunch had been drugged as well.

Wonderful. Can't trust the food or drink now. Jane finally had a clear understanding of his situation, but how to fix it and get back to Austin - that was another matter, especially considering he couldn't run, let alone walk.

Jane wrapped up his foot again as tightly as he could, then hopped back to the sink. He grabbed the bandage and smoothed it back onto his stitches as well as he could. Turning around, he grabbed his crutches and left the bathroom.

Time to explore Refuge Ranch.


	13. Exploring

Maybe the last chapter for a while... not sure. Enjoy!

The Messenger

Chapter 13

Exploring

Jane stood in his hospital room, considering his options. He couldn't make a dash for freedom. His ankle was useless, and it appeared that there was no way back to the city unless he had a car or a horse. No horses out there as far as he knew, so he would have to steal a car without being seen. Filing that away, he looked at his bed. Without windows he had no idea what time it was, but judging from the rumbling in his stomach, lunch was hours ago. Soon a nurse would be bringing his supper in to him and he had to be in bed.

Jane made his way over to the bed and grabbed his pillows, arranging them into the shape of a resting body. An extra pillow came in handy for the head of the bed. Pulling the covers up and snugging them into the pillow, Jane was pleased with his efforts. Anyone glancing at the bed without really looking hard would think he was asleep and deep in his blankets. It was the best he could do at the moment. Turning for the door, he cracked it open slightly and looked for the usual two nurses at the station. There was only one. Perhaps one had gone for her supper, or to get his, either way, he only had to contend with the remaining nurse. He silently made his way out of his door, careful to place his crutches down without making a sound to alert her to his presence. It took a few minutes, but he finally made it to a small supply room and stepped inside. Watching the nurse through a tiny opening, he waited until she stepped away from her desk with an empty coffee mug and retreated to the small kitchen reserved for the nursing staff. Once the door had closed, she could no longer see into the hallway and Jane was free to make his escape.

Stepping out of the closet he considered which way to go. The large double doors led outside in just a few steps, but the courtyard was a hive of activity today, and he felt sure someone would question his sudden appearance. Turning to look in the opposite direction, Jane spied the door at the end of the hall, the door he had seen earlier today. He thumped his way over to the door and prayed it was unlocked. After all, who would use it but staff or Michael? Jane tried the door handle and it turned easily in his hand. Bingo! He wrenched open the door and quickly hustled through it, letting it shut behind him before he felt around for a light switch. The pitch black space suddenly was a blaze of light when he clicked the switch he found on the wall. Ahead of him was a tiled tunnel leading slightly downhill. Fortunately the floor tiles were slightly textured, giving his crutches the traction he needed so badly. The tunnel was narrow but well lit, spotless and still going downhill after some 30 feet. After that, the floor started to rise up again and finally Jane was facing another door. He estimated he had walked about 60 feet, far enough to be in another building beside the hospital. Turning the handle gingerly, Jane heard a click then pulled the door open a tiny crack. What he saw made him gasp in surprise. The door led to a beautifully decorated hall, richly carpeted and resplendent with mirrors and tasteful wallpaper on the walls the whole length of the hallway. There was no one in sight, so Jane eased himself through the doorway and hobbled towards the only door he saw about 10 feet away. This would either be the dumbest move he had made in a long time or it could possibly answer the many questions he had swirling around in his head. Grasping the handle, Jane turned it and once again, the door swung open. Security didn't seem to be an issue. Judging by the sumptuous decor in the hallway, Jane was fairly certain the devotees here at Refuge Ranch had no idea their fearless leader lived in splendour, while they toiled and slept in what could only be described as cells.

Stepping inside and shutting the door, Jane looked around the large office. The same wallpaper from the hall graced the room, and a thick carpet covered the floor, making it warm and soundproof. A solid wooden desk dominated the space in the middle of the room and upon it sat a phone, cell phone and a laptop computer. Jane hurried over to the cell phone and picked it up to dial Lisbon. There was no service on the phone for some reason. He went to the land line and started to pick it up but thought better of it. Did it dial out directly or did it go through a switchboard somewhere else on the Ranch? Could he risk speaking to an unknown person who expected the only person to be using the line to be Michael? The next best thing was to open up the laptop and send an email to Cho and Lisbon to let them know he was alive and well and somewhere in the desert.

Before he could do that, a familiar object caught his eye. Hanging on a hanger against the back wall, Jane spied his suit. He hurried over to it and ran his hands over the fabric like a lover would caress his beloved. The material was still damp and covered in mud. Searching the pockets for something useful, Jane found his lockpick set and quickly hid it in the elastic binding around his foot. Next he searched for his wallet. It was there, soggy but intact. Of course Michael had known his identity from the moment he was brought in to the hospital. What had Bertram said to Jane all those years ago in the church, on his final day of life?

'What a couple of scamps we are… '

'Well, you are quite the scamp yourself Michael' thought Jane. The other pockets were empty, his FBI ID badge was missing. Did it get washed away in the flood? Almost ready to turn back to the laptop, Jane ran his hand through one more pocket and felt something bump into his fingertip. Pulling the object out, he found a bright blue button.

Blue. Like the uniforms the best of the best wore here at the Refuge. But not a light blue button. No. It was a much richer hue, a colour of blue no one but Michael wore.

Michael had been at the spot where Walter Carruthers' body had been dumped! He had to have been wearing his cotton top and pants when the body was left in the desert. With this realization, Jane felt a flush of elation and worry in equal measure. Had Carruthers been here at the Ranch too? Did that go badly right from the start and Michael had to get rid of him for some reason? Who else had seen Carruthers? Why was the button left behind? Jane grasped the button and shoved it down into his ankle wrappings to join the lock pick set. He turned himself around and started to make his way over to the desk to use the laptop when the door opened and Michael strode in. Seeing Jane standing beside his desk, Michael was momentarily shocked and at a loss for words. Taking advantage of his surprise, Jane smiled broadly and hobbled painfully over to Michael and spoke first.

"There you are! I've been looking for you!" he said, taking Michael by surprise yet again. "Nice office you've got here! Much nicer than the rest of the place, at least the bit I've seen" Jane prattled on.

Michael regained his composure and stepped forward to warmly greet Jane, not sure just what was going on.

"Nice to see you so alert for once Thomas! That's a good sign. We were worried that you might not regain your full faculties after that nasty head injury" he lied .

"Couldn't be better!" agreed Jane, ignoring the pain in his foot and his growing headache. His accident was still only just 24 hours ago after all.

"How did you find this room Thomas?" asked Michael, walking around and quickly surveying his desk to see if anything had been moved. "You're a long way from the hospital."

Jane swivelled around on his crutches and leaned on them, trying to act as casual as possible.

"I got restless and decided to go for a walk. A few turns and a few doorways later, and here I am" he explained, careful not to mention the tunnel. "I'm sorry if I went too far astray, but it's a good sign of my recovery - yes?" he said, forcing Michael to agree.

"Well I'm happy to see you up and around Thomas, but you must forgive me, I have work to do and cannot socialize at this moment. Would you like me to call someone to walk you back to the hospital now?" he suggested to Jane.

"That would be good, thank you. Don't want to get lost again do we?" said Jane agreeably. He made to move closer to the door when Michael picked up the phone and spoke to someone, directing them to call for an aide to assist 'Thomas'. Jane smiled inwardly as he realized he was right not to dial out on the land line. He would have been caught for sure.

"Someone will be here in a few minutes, if you don't mind waiting in the hall for him Thomas" said Michael, eager for Jane to leave the office. Jane nodded and opened the door, turning to say 'bye' before he stepped through and disappeared. Michael quickly examined his laptop and found it open to the same page it had been at when he left. The cell phone had belonged to Carruthers and had been disabled, plus no one had notified him that the land line had been used by anyone but him. He breathed a sigh of relief. Jane had not contacted anyone on the outside. Michael sat deep in thought for another few minutes, then placed a call to the nursing station. Martha answered and nodded her head when given her new assignment. She was to double the dose of sedative in Thomas' supper tonight. Michael felt uneasy that Thomas had managed to find his way to this very private room. Disciples who had been on the Ranch for 2 or 3 years were still unaware that their spiritual guru lived like a king. Thomas had to stay in his room until they were ready to fully indoctrinate him into the life at Refuge Ranch. That mess with Carruthers still fresh on his mind, Michael resolved to tighten up on his previously successful protocols in order to erase Thomas' past life and replace it with total dependency on his new Messiah.

That taken care of, Michael began to craft another lecture, a special one, a message that would be given to only one person tonight as he slept. A message from The Messenger for Thomas.


	14. De Luca Exposed

A big thank you to everyone who wrote reviews yesterday. I have a problem though. I am receiving your reviews but now I can't respond. When I try to respond, I get a message on the FanFiction page telling me the review cannot be found! So, until something changes or I figure out what is wrong, I can't reply to your comments. So sorry. It is pretty frustrating because I have things I wanted to say in return! For example - no, this has absolutely nothing to do with Visualize; yes, it would pretty darned hard if not impossible to hypnotize Jane but you could drug him into submission and mess with his mind; no, Michael has no idea who Jane is, such is his conceit; yes the McCalls are good people (FiascoWay, why did the name McCall give you pause - is there someone famous named Dianna McCall out there?); yup, Michael doesn't have a clue what is coming his way!

Ok, last chapter for a while. Talk to you soon...

The Messenger

Chapter 14

De Luca Exposed

The SUV pulled into the FBI parking garage with Cho, Lisbon and a very much more subdued Calvin inside. Abbott had been brought up to speed and Wylie was checking Google Earth for any large structures out in the desert that could possibly be Refuge Ranch. So far, he had found nothing suitable.

Two guards brought Calvin upstairs to an interrogation room while Cho and Lisbon went through to the bullpen to check up on Wylie and the other team's progress. A few other agents out in the field today had also heard stories of a man matching Calvin's description, moving from place to place, chatting up vulnerable people with tales of a wonderful place out in the desert. So far no one had heard of anyone actually taking Calvin up on his offer to drive them there. No one but Evie, and now, maybe Walter Carruthers if he had gotten messed up with that strange group. Time would tell if anything linked his disappearance directly to Michael.

Abbott came out to meet Cho and Lisbon, careful to gauge how she was handling the stress of Jane's disappearance. He was relieved to see that her anger and determination to find Michael was keeping her anxiety at a safe level.

"Ready to grill Calvin?" Abbott asked his agents. Lisbon decided to step out and watch the questioning, as she was tired and frustrated. Better for now to let Abbott go at him, fresh and intimidating. Cho had sent Calvin's fingerprints to Wylie to run while they made their way into Austin. That would tell the FBI just who this guy was. Cho would tag team Abbott and brow beat the man until he confessed everything he knew. Wylie had run a background check on Calvin and found a long rap sheet on him. He had prior arrests for theft, extortion, fraud, drug possession, intimidation and coercion. Looking at the man sitting in the glass room dressed in boring khaki pants, large white sneakers and an old-fashioned short sleeved shirt, it was hard to imagine him being aggressive enough to fit those crimes. Wylie handed Cho and Abbott the information on Calvin which they perused as they made their way over to the interrogation room. Lisbon was already perched on a chair reading the same report in the observation room next door. She had a clear view of Calvin and relished seeing his smug expression change to one of self-preservation as his options dwindled.

Abbott entered the room followed by Cho. Both sat down and put the report of Calvin's previous crimes on the table.

"So… Calvin De Luca. Born in Detroit Michigan of immigrant parents. In and out of trouble with the law all through school, ran with a local gang until you figured out how to make more money on your own. Hooked up with Carmine Bello and Frankie Costa. Took orders from them until you went behind their backs on a big gambling score and lost badly" said Abbott, reading from the page. He looked up at Calvin and shook his head.

"It's not smart to try to outplay the boss man Calvin" he said, staring over the rim of his glasses. Calvin just huffed his disdain for the reading of his crimes and looked disinterested in the proceedings.

"You lost a lot of money that didn't belong to you in that game. Money that Bello and Costa wanted back with interest." Abbott sat back and folded his hands across his stomach.

"So why are you still alive Calvin? Did someone bail you out for a price?"

Calvin fidgeted with his fingernails and said nothing, as if silence would do him any good in the presence of the FBI. Lisbon was smiling behind the mirror watching the show go down.

"Carmine and Frankie got their money. I told them I'd repay them and I did, so no cement shoes for me, OK?" Calvin said with a smile, not worried in the least. This was small potatoes, these were stupid agents apparently.

"So your debt was paid, but now you belong to someone else. Someone who controls you, tells you where to live, where to go, what to do and how to dress" said Cho, eyeing the sad-sack outfit the man wore. With a smirk, he continued.

"Nice duds Calvin."

Calvin's face flushed red, his vanity assaulted but he knew Cho was right. He did look like a nerd and it was all due to Michael.

Leaning forward, Cho closed the file and studied Calvin closely.

"You must be pretty heavily indebted to Michael to be willing to put up with looking like that and trolling the back roads of Texas on his command. How's being a schmuck working out for you?"

Calvin's chin stuck out when those words stung him. They knew about Michael and it wasn't working out at all, and he honestly saw no end in sight. Michael would never set him free. He would always be a schmuck driving around convincing people to run away with him to find Heaven in the desert. He was a schmuck.

"Michael who?" was all he could come up with. Lisbon laughed quietly to herself.

"Evie McCall. Remember her? Evangeline McCall, nursing student and now disciple of your buddy Michael. She's one of the people you delivered to him. You coerced her brother and mother to work in the diner just to provide a spot for you to find more people to sacrifice to Michael and his merry band" said Cho, holding out a photo of the young woman.

Calvin shook his head. "Never seen her. Never."

Abbott held out another photo. "And what about this man?" he said, displaying the photo of Walter Carruthers. Calvin glanced at it and shoved it away. "I don't know either of these people" he said diffidently. Lisbon studied his face and knew he was lying. Jane had taught her what to watch for and this guy was almost writing a confession with his face.

"Can't remember Carruthers? Well how about this man?" said Abbott, producing a photo of Jane. "We know you met with him at the diner last night, warned him to avoid flash floods during the storm and watch for roadblocks. Roadblocks that you made sure were in place on the only road that was actually safe for Jane to take back to Austin. Instead you steered him directly to the back road that was sure to flood. Then all you had to do was wait until he lost control of his car and he was trapped. Michael's goons could take over from there. Sound about right Calvin?" Abbott was just guessing now, hoping that his assumptions about Jane being taken by others working for Michael was a possibility.

Calvin shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his handcuffs chafing his wrists. It had been a while since he had found himself in cuffs. He still hated it.

"I never met the man. It's all bullshit. Who told you that crap?" Calvin said with some worry creeping into his tone.

'You know who told us Calvin. You messed up. You got too smug and screwed it all up. Richard and Dianna saw you talk to Mr. Jane and were more than glad to help us with their testimony. They want their daughter to come back home."

"Those two crazies? Have you seen the diner? Only crazy people would run a place like that. You gotta do better than that" said Calvin, turning sideways in his seat to indicate the conversation was over.

"So Richard and Dianna McCall didn't see you speaking with Mr. Jane in their diner?" asked Cho.

"That's what I'm tryin' to tell you. They're backwoods hillbillies who wouldn't know their own asses from a hole in the ground, capisci ?"

"We understand. More than you know Calvin. If the McCalls didn't see you in their diner last night, then they won't be able to pick you out of a lineup tomorrow. Capisci?" said Cho in return.

"Oh I ain't saying I didn't go there once in awhile, I just wasn't there last night" said Calvin, covering his butt as well as he could.

"You know Calvin... you made one very big mistake when you directed Mr. Jane to a road that would flood in a storm. You didn't figure that the FBI would come after you" said Abbott. "Aren't you wondering just about now why we are so interested in him?"

Calvin looked from Abbott to Cho and back to Abbott again. Yeah… what was so special about some guy missing in the desert. Why this guy?

"Well let me give you a bit of information that neither you nor Michael are probably aware of. You see, this guy…" Abbott pointed to Jane's photo, "is one of us. He works for the FBI. This is his office, I'm his boss and we don't give up. Ever. When someone tells us that they saw you talk to our man just before he disappeared, we sit up and listen. We chew on that bone of information and we eat it until there's nothing left. So if you think you can "aw shucks" your way out of this mess you're in, you are very much mistaken...Calvin. Do you want to go down for kidnapping an FBI agent? Is that what you're willing to do for Michael?" Abbott said to Calvin softly.

"If you are then you're a bigger fool than I thought."

Time to make Calvin sweat. Cho and Abbott gathered up their reports and stood up. Before leaving, Cho had one more comment to make.

"Our forensic guys are out in the desert right now, at the base of the hill where we think Jane's car went over the side of the road and crashed. We already found his license plate. When we find the rest of the evidence proving you engineered his getting caught in a flash flood and his death or kidnapping, we'll be coming back with questions you won't like."

"Either way, enjoy prison" said Cho and they both left a shaken Calvin sitting alone in the interrogation room, digesting their bombshell.

'Holy shit, an FBI agent!' was his only thought. He hoped to God Michael knew about Jane's FBI status and took care of this problem or both of their lives would soon be worthless.

Abbott stalked out of the interrogation room and met up with Lisbon as she returned to the bullpen. Cho was talking to someone on his cell and judging from his facial expression, something important had happened.

"Nice work in there Dennis" Lisbon said. "Way to make him squirm."

"I do what I can" he smiled.

"He was lying through his teeth" suggested Lisbon. "He knows a lot more than he's saying."

Cho rejoined them and spoke up. "He's lying all right. Forensics just got back. They did a large grid search of the area at the top of the hill and below the spot where Jane probably went over in his car."

Upon hearing Cho say this with so much certainty was a small dagger in Lisbon's heart. Gathering herself up for what he was about to say next, she made her face as unreadable as possible.

"The wire running along the edge of the highway had black paint embedded in it that is a match for the paint on our FBI SUV's. The grid search below was successful in finding more pieces of the car. A windshield wiper was found, along with part of a broken side mirror, tools from a tool box and Jane's FBI ID tag. It was tangled up in brush and mud about 20 feet where the car slammed into the ground. There is an impact zone that showed up more as the mud dried."

Cho turned to Lisbon, and looked at her with sympathy. "I'm sorry Lisbon. He did get swept away in the flash flood."

Now that she had no other option than to believe it had really happened, a tear slid down her cheek which she rapidly wiped away. Abbott put his hand on her arm and suggested she go and grab a coffee, process everything that had happened and then go home. At that suggestion, she resolutely refused.

"I'm fine Dennis. This is the information we needed. Someone not only took Jane, they got rid of the car as well. This was a well coordinated effort. Calvin over there" she said, pointing to the room where the man still sat " is just an enabler. The man we need to find is Michael."

Turning towards the kitchen to get that much needed coffee, she called back over her shoulder.

"Find Michael and you'll find Jane! And don't let Calvin go downstairs to get processed. I'm going to talk to him next!" she said with finality. Cho and Abbott turned to see her stomp off and grinned. This is the Lisbon who would deal best with Jane's disappearance. Cho smiled at Abbott and headed to the coffee room himself.

"Might as well get prepared for round two!" he said with enthusiasm.

(Refuge Ranch)

Jane left Michael's office and let his tense shoulders relax. That had been a close call. He hoped Michael bought his act and thought he was just lost. He took a painful step or two and then heard the door at the end of the hall open. Looking up Jane saw Martha walk purposefully towards him. Putting on his brightest smile, Jane waited for her but was surprised when she ignored him and kept walking straight to Michael's office door. A quick tap of her knuckle on the door gave her access to his sanctum. Confused now, Jane turned at the sound of the door opening again. His smile fell off his face as he saw the two men in black suits heading his way, their faces a mask of service to The Messenger. Jane involuntarily took a step backwards but they quickly advanced and grasped him by the upper arms and pulled him away with them, not letting him keep ahold of his crutches. Eventually they dropped with a clatter to the floor and he hopped and hobbled along with the men in a painful march back to the main courtyard, and then the hospital.

Jane was in their grip until he reached his room. Only then did the men let him go and left him leaning against his bed, daggers of pain roiling up his leg and into the pit of his stomach. With shaky hands he turned back his covers and almost fell into the bed. Surprised at how bad he felt, he had to remind himself that this time last night he was dangling upside down in a flooded car. By that standard, he wasn't doing so badly after all. Soon after he got himself settled, the door opened and a young nurse came in holding a tray loaded with food. Setting it down on his table, the nurse smiled and gave Jane his instructions.

"Michael says you looked tired after your walk today and wants you to eat every bit of your meal tonight. We want you to be well as soon as possible!" she said with an innocent smile.

"Yes we do…" muttered Jane, eyeing the delicious repast with suspicion and regret. He was hungry. It had been hours since lunch and his strange afternoon. The food was surely drugged, the drinks too. The nurse lingered, waiting to see him begin to eat. Jane pulled the table over and across his bed and uncovered each dish.

"Looks wonderful! My compliments to the folks in the kitchen!" he said. The nurse started to walk towards the door but kept her eye on Jane. Taking his fork in his hand, he dug into the first thing he saw on his plate and put a large forkful into his mouth.

"Mmmm… so good" he mumbled, chewing vigorously. The nurse grinned and finally left, pleased he was being so cooperative. Jane immediately spat the food out onto his plate and pushed the table away. Too bad. The food was very good. He edged himself over to the side of the bed and stood up, pushing his tray table ahead of himself to use for balance. When he was all the way across the room he hopped over to open the bathroom door. Plate by plate, he gradually disposed of the food into the toilet, flushing often, until only a couple of store-bought cookies remained. Those he kept and then filled his cup up with tap water. He hopped back to his bed pushing the table back into place with the now empty bowls, plates and cups sitting on the tray to be found by his nurse later. He slowly savoured the dry cookies and drank his water, the only trustworthy food he would get tonight. Fortunately, his mind would continue to get clearer and clearer with each passing hour as the drugs from lunch left his system. He intended to use that time to figure out how to get home, back to safety and his Teresa.

(FBI Austin)

Cho held the door open to let Lisbon enter the interrogation room first. Calvin looked up and stared into her beautiful face with disappointment. He was hoping they were done with him today and he could stretch out on a bunk in a cell somewhere. He knew the drill.

Once seated, Lisbon sat still for a while, staring at Calvin and gathering her thoughts.

"As you know Calvin, we'll have a lineup tomorrow to see if witnesses can identify you as being in the diner the night Mr. Jane disappeared."

"Won't do you any good, like I told your buddy here" Calvin said, nodding at Cho. "I been in that diner lots of times, just not that night. So what if they know me?"

Lisbon opened a file folder and pulled out some photographs. One was of Jane's FBI ID badge, muddied and bent. The others were photos of a lemonade bottle, a license plate, a broken mirror, plus a windshield wiper.

"These came off Mr. Jane's car. The car he was driving the night he stopped at the diner and bought a bottle of lemonade and a bag of potato chips" she continued.

"So?" said Calvin with a sneer. "What's a bottle got to do with me?"

"That bottle came from Dianna McCall's diner. She sold it to Jane while you sat on a stool right in front of her. You advised Mr. Jane to avoid washed out roads and then you called someone to place a barricade across the road to Austin when to Jane left. He had no choice but to take the wrong road and was then swept away in a flash flood."

Calvin smiled at Lisbon and leaned back in his chair.

"You got nothing on me. Like I told Sumo over here" he said, pointing at Cho "I had nothing to do with it!"

"That's interesting, because we pinged your cellphone off the local towers out there and found that you made two calls last night during the storm. One right after Mr. Jane left the diner and another one 30 minutes later, most likely to call a cleanup squad to find Jane and dispose of his vehicle. The first call was witnessed by the McCalls, and the next call was placed at the scene of the accident. Cell phone towers don't lie Mr. De Luca" Lisbon said.

Calvin looked from Lisbon to Cho and back again. A tiny bead of sweat rolled down his chin as he contemplated his next move.

"It's all circumstantial. You got nothing!" he said again, having nothing else to offer up in the way of an excuse for the phone evidence.

"Now we know that you were just the point man" said Lisbon continuing as if Calvin hadn't said anything. "It was your job to find people and lure them into Michael's cult. When Jane went over the cliff last night you had to call someone to come out in the storm and find the car, and take Jane out to the Ranch."

"What we want to know is, where is the Ranch?" interjected Cho. "We know you took Evie McCall out there, at least twice. Give us the location of Refuge Ranch and we'll see if the DA can cut a deal for you, lighten your sentence by a few years. Kidnapping could get you a lifetime in prison Calvin. Consider your options carefully."

Calvin looked at Cho and swallowed hard. The more these two agents talked, the more they revealed just how much they knew about Michael's operation. The McCalls would definitely pick him out of a lineup tomorrow and a lie detector test would reveal that they were telling the truth and he was lying. He had never figured out to fool one of those Goddammed things. More sweat gathered across his forehead and he wiped it off with the back of his hand. Maybe if he helped these agents he could get out from under Michael's yoke, finally. Cut a deal, serve a bit of time as an accessory to kidnapping… better that taking the whole hit for Michael's crimes…

"Ok. Ok. Look, I didn't kidnap anybody OK? I just told that McCall girl about Michael and she went willingly. She wanted a new life of service and I just helped her to find it. And… and I never drove her out there! Michael didn't trust me to know where he was located. Sometimes we would meet up in Austin, but he never did tell me where he went to when he went back into the desert."

"So who picked up Evie and Mr. Jane?" asked Lisbon.

"Look, I make a call and two guys show up. Dressed in black business suits, they picked up Evie at a point in the desert then I turned around and came back to my route. The same guys came out in the storm last night and found your agent. I directed them to the wreck and watched them take him outta the car. They put him into a jeep and took off in the night. Some time later they came back with a tow truck and got rid of the car. That's the God's honest truth! I swear it!" he said, his story spilling out of him in a rush.

"Was Mr. Jane alive when he was taken away?" Lisbon asked. She had to.

"I dunno. He sure as hell wasn't awake. They carried him off like a rag doll. Made their job easier I guess" Calvin said with a smile, which then fell off his face when he got a stony look from Lisbon.

"So you only make contact with the two men and they take over?" said Cho, making notes. "I want their number. Any lies and whatever deal the DA could have made will be off the table" warned Cho.

Calvin nodded 'yes' and gave Cho the number to call. At a signal, two guards entered the room and escorted Calvin away to a cell downstairs.

Cho turned to Lisbon and smiled tightly.

"We've got him Lisbon. We've got Michael. Wylie can either find the ranch via satellite or we arrange a meet up with the two suit guys and go out there ourselves."

Lisbon smiled and followed Cho out of the room. Knowing that she would soon learn Jane's fate both thrilled and frightened her, but for now, the idea that they could soon be on their way to Refuge Ranch filled her with hope.


	15. A Bit Of Truth

Happy New Year everyone! I'm back from my travels and can't wait to get down to writing again. Here we go...

The Messenger

Chapter 15

A Bit of Truth

Cho hurried over to Wylie to have him trace the phone number given to him by Calvin. The man had seemed suitably cowed by the charges Cho had threatened to level against him, but that could all have been a stalling tactic. What Wylie found out would surely show whether Calvin was helping or delaying Jane's rescue.

Calvin was escorted downstairs and processed into a holding cell while Cho waited for the answers his best Techie could supply. Wylie's fingers raced over his keyboard and he leaned in closely to see the data fill the screen, his face alight with hope. That light faded quickly when the search revealed that the phone used and the number were useless. It was a burner and the number was no longer in service. He could try to do a reverse search and see if a trace of the call the previous night could be found somewhere out in the desert, but that was just a long shot. Turning to Cho and an anxious Lisbon, Wylie broke the bad news to them. Calvin's information was bogus after all. Apparently his fear of Michael superseded his fear of the charges the FBI could bring against him. Cho let out a long sigh of frustration while Lisbon collapsed on Jane's sofa.

"Where do we look now Cho? If Calvin never went to Refuge Ranch, and the contact numbers keep changing, how do we pinpoint where they have taken Jane?"

Cho kept his eyes on his shoes, deep in thought. They knew only what Calvin and the McCalls had told them, which was pitifully little to go on. But the one advantage they had was knowing that Michael needed fresh recruits, and was willing to drag them out into the desert, even against their will, to make new converts to his strange religion.

"We need to get out to the Ranch. We have to make Michael want to make contact with us. We will be his newest disciples" he said logically, staring at Lisbon calmly. "When we get there we find Jane and bring backup."

"And we do that how?" she asked, seeing the need for this next step.

Cho turned and faced the elevators across the room. "We need to impress upon Mr. De Luca the need for his cooperation. There is a reason why he isn't trying to save his own ass in all this. Michael must have something on him strong enough that he would take the fall for him. We have to find out what that is and use it to get him to set up a meet and greet with the men in black suits."

Wylie was listening and turned back to his computer, cleared the screen and began to type something into a new search engine.

"I wish Jane was here…..he'd have it out of Calvin in a few minutes" mumbled Teresa, remembering Jane's uncanny ability to read people even if they refused to answer his questions. "Can I have a shot at questioning him alone Cho?" she asked. "I think I can try to make him slip up" she continued.

Cho stared at Wylie, willing him to suddenly leap up with a solution to their problem he found on his computer screen. Wylie instead sat glumly at his keyboard, tapping quickly in worry.

"Go for it. Do whatever you have to do within the law and get him to turn on Michael. Find out what his weak spot is" Cho said as he turned towards his office. Lisbon leapt up and grabbed her laptop and headed for the elevators. She had nothing to lose and would do whatever it took to loosen Calvin's tongue once and for all.

"Good luck!" Wylie called after her as she disappeared behind the closing doors. Cho stood in the hall and watched her leave, hoping her years of being with Jane would now pay off in spades. Time would tell. Then he walked back towards his office to fill Abbott in on the latest disappointing news.

Lisbon chewed her lip in frustration as she rode the elevator downstairs. She had one shot tonight to get Calvin to open up. He was just a middleman, but the key to unlocking the truth about Michael. Whatever Michael had on Calvin was a powerful deterrent against talking to the Feds. The doors slid open with a 'ding' and Lisbon strode out purposefully. Calvin had to be afraid of her and the powers she represented. Anything less and he would ignore her as a weak woman.

Turning a corner in the detention wing of the building, Lisbon flashed her ID to the agent in charge of the prisoners located there temporarily and then proceeded to the bare cell the prisoner sat in. As she approached his cell Calvin looked up hopefully, not sure what to expect. Seeing the small agent again, he put his head back on his pillow and feigned sleep.

"Get up!" Lisbon barked. "You're not asleep and we need to talk. Now!" she spit out. Calvin lifted his head slowly and disdainfully, then swung his legs around on his narrow cot and looked at her in curiosity. My my my she could be feisty!

"Or what? What are you gonna do to me?" he said sarcastically. He was already incarcerated, what more could she do to him? He was protected by law against physical harm so she could only bore him to death with useless talk. Lisbon studied the man closely and began. She had no plan but would "wing it" as Jane often told her to do.

"What are you afraid of Calvin? We both know Michael is nothing more than a con man, a shyster who paid to get you out from under the crap storm you created when you took the mob's money in that game. So what hold does he have on you?" she asked, opening the dialogue.

"Nice try lady. Michael has nothing on me. I can go anywhere, anytime I want." Calvin answered, lying badly.

"If that's the case, why are you sitting in a jail cell at the discretion of the FBI?" said Lisbon. "Did you love living out of fleabag motels and driving those lonesome back roads of Texas so much that you didn't want to go to the city, go to Austin, for more fun and financial opportunities?"

Lisbon noticed a fleeting flash of aggravation glance across Calvin's face. She had hit a sore spot.

"You do it because you have to, and it isn't about paying Michael back for bailing you out of your debt, is that about right?"

"What I do is none of your business. Michael and I have an arrangement. I do his work in the desert and he takes care of my bills. Simple math lady!" he snarled.

Calvin turned around and stared at the wall, ignoring the annoying woman at his cell door. He could stonewall her all night. Lisbon heard her laptop 'ping' and took a moment to read what Wylie had sent to her. He must have kept digging into Calvin's life in an attempt to find anything helpful that they could use to find Jane. A moment later she had the ammunition she needed to nail Calvin. Opening her laptop fully, Lisbon spun it around, showing the screen to Calvin. "Is she part of the arrangement too Calvin?" she asked. The man acted as if he hadn't heard the question.

"Did he take her too?" said Lisbon doggedly.

Calvin looked up and Lisbon knew she had him. What Calvin saw was a screen filled with a memory from much better days. He saw a photograph of himself smiling deeply, his arm around a young woman who could only have been his younger sister in happier days. In the background was a sign reading the University of Texas at Austin. Calvin's entire body sank slightly into the bed as he looked at his sister's sweet, innocent face. He couldn't take his eyes off the photo, betraying the emotion he was feeling.

"He's got her, hasn't he?" said Lisbon softly. "Michael found out you had a younger sister here in Austin and he swept her up into his madness. You have to do whatever he says if you want to see your sister again. Am I right Calvin?"

Calvin looked away from the laptop and put his petulant expression on again. "Not even close Bitch!" he spat out scornfully. "You really must be desperate if you are resorting to fantasy now" he continued.

"Not fantasy Calvin. She's real. Maria Lynn De Luca, 20 years old, the youngest of 4 children. The only one in the family, apparently, who didn't turn to crime to make her way in the world. She's the good one, the student and the one you were most proud of… not a fantasy but a dream come true Calvin. But you couldn't protect her, could you? She dropped out of school in her second year and no one has seen her since. Her friends tried to find her, but when she never came back to school they gave up. It's been two years Calvin. Two years. Michael went to Austin and talked her into coming out to the Ranch, didn't he?" Lisbon guessed, not sure if she was actually right or way off base. Calvin's shoulders were hunched forward and his arms were tightly wrapped across his chest, in a self-protective position. Lisbon could read his body language as if he was shouting his sadness and fear.

"Let us help you get your sister out when we go in and get Mr. Jane. Calvin, now is the time to help your sister, finally."

Calvin looked up at Lisbon's kind face and couldn't trust her, not yet.

"What if she wants to be there? Huh? Ever think of that lady? " he said sadly.

"And what if she doesn't? Maybe she wants to leave and can't. What if Michael has all of those people trapped there?" Lisbon said softly. "Ever think of that Calvin?"

Calvin studied his hands and twisted them around and around, deep in thought.

"Wouldn't you like the chance to talk to Maria again after all this time and ask her yourself if she is happy out there? Calvin, now is the time to do that for her. Do it for yourself too. Find out if she is OK" she added. "We know Mr. Jane was taken there against his will, and he needs to get home again. Help us to find him, and your sister. Help us and we will do everything we can to make some of these charges against you go away."

Calvin looked at Lisbon and suddenly all of his bluster and cockiness fell away. She was right. This was the best chance he had ever had to see Maria again since Michael sank his hooks into his life. Michael owned him too.

"You have one chance here Calvin. I suggest you take it before you are sent to the prison to await trial. Don't let your sister wait another day Calvin" said Lisbon as she shut the laptop and started to walk away. She got as far as the end of the hallway, her brisk stride covering up her desperate fear that he wouldn't take this opportunity to save his sister.

"Stop!"

Calvin was standing at the door of his cell, his hands grasping the bars as he called out to the rapidly disappearing agent.

"Come back… I…I want to see Maria. She might need me!" he called out to Lisbon.

Lisbon stood at the end of the hall, a wave of relief hitting her. Turning back towards the cell, she put on her best 'cop face' and soon stood facing Calvin once again.

"Tell me everything. How we make contact with Michael, how we get taken out to the Ranch. You've got one chance here, don't waste it" she said ominously.

Calvin sat on his bed and started to speak as Lisbon took notes. By the time he was finished, she knew how to get out to Refuge Ranch. If only Jane knew that help would soon be on the way.


	16. Going Too Far

tI'm so glad that I can finally write again after being away for so long. I have another chapter ready to go, so here it is. Enjoy. And thanks for the positive feedback, always appreciated!

The Messenger

Chapter 16

Going Too Far

The time Jane spent in his tiny hospital room weighed heavily on him. There was nothing to do to occupy his mind or his imagination. Out of habit, he grabbed a piece of paper off his bed table and fashioned an origami swan, setting it on his night stand. Seeing another piece of paper, he made a frog, the kind he had given to Lisbon early in their time working together. He set it down on his table and waited. A moment later it leapt into the air and Jane smiled broadly. He resolved to make another frog for Lisbon as soon as he got back home to her welcoming arms. It had been too long since he surprised her with a paper animal. 'Way too long. Grabbing the frog, he jammed it into the pocket on his pajama top, as a tangible memory of his love for Teresa. Feeling it rest against his heart gave him a good feeling. Somehow he would get home.

Night had fallen and Jane faced the end of this confusing day as frustrated as he began it. Gradually, boredom overcame him and he lay on his bed drifting in and out of a restless sleep. His mind was finally sharp again as he had managed to avoid more drugs by not eating or drinking any food provided by the nursing staff. He wondered if they were in on Michael's scam or just innocent servants of The Messenger. Boredom was harassing him but his twisted ankle prevented him from moving around. He knew he had told Michael his name when he had awakened after his accident. What else had he told him? Did he mention the FBI? Did Michael know Jane worked there? Jane's memory was still fuzzy and it annoyed him that he couldn't remember such a simple detail.

Perhaps he had been drugged from the first moment he arrived. Could that be why his memory palace was currently under renovation? Jane tried to go over everything that had happened during this long and odd day but only the last few hours were crystal clear in his mind. Whatever Michael knew about his newest guest was a mystery to Jane. He just hoped he had not given Michael too much information, information that could make Jane's life under The Messenger's rule tenuous at best.

At last tiredness interrupted his musings and Jane drifted off into a light sleep. His head injury was still serious and punished him with a heavy, exhausting headache hour after hour. He was worn out from it and sleep offered a respite, if only temporarily. 20 minutes after he fell asleep, the door to Jane's room opened silently and a tall, gaunt wraith entered, clothed in rich blue cotton. Michael glided silently across the floor and stood at the side of the bed, gazing at the man sleeping in front of him.

Michael was still perplexed by the appearance of Jane in his office earlier that evening, but he hoped that his explanation for being there was true. The man did have a head injury and might have just wandered too far in his confusion. If Michael had just typed Jane's name into a search engine on his laptop, he would have been far more suspicious of his new disciple's motives. But such was Michael's disinterest in the internet that he didn't bother to find out just who Patrick Jane was. The fact that this confused man had mumbled something about the police and the FBI only confirmed in The Messenger's mind that this man before him was indeed still suffering from a concussion at the very least, and perhaps temporary amnesia coupled with fantastic delusions. Smiling at that realization, Michael resolved to use Jane's confusion to his own benefit. Michael studied Jane's profile in the low light of the small bedroom. Such an intelligent face, and such manly beauty. This was the type of man he could use to his advantage if he could just indoctrinate him fully. Who could resist "Thomas" if he praised his life at Refuge Ranch? Woman certainly would fall under his spell if he used his considerable masculine charms to convince them that his holy man, The Messenger, could grant them the serenity and knowledge of the infinite they so desperately craved. His eyes wandered down Jane's body and his hands ached to touch the warm skin under the cotton pajamas. Michael appreciated beauty in all forms. He had an equal sexual desire for women and men, as long as they pleased him physically and mentally. He didn't give a damn about spirituality - that was just his gig, a con, a means to an end financially. He had needed to keep his bi-sexuality a secret when he was running with the gangs back home, before he found a much easier way to make money and control people. Now, if he made sexual advances to his chosen few disciples, they felt honoured by his attention, not abhorrence towards their Messiah. And the richer the devotees, the better. After all, their devotion to The Messenger was proven when they gave their bank account numbers to him and he took all their money for his own pleasure.

Believing Jane was well sedated by his drugged food, Michael felt emboldened to reach out and stroke Jane's sleeping face with his long fingers. When he got no reaction, he let his fingers trace down his face to his neck and chest, brushing the hair protruding out of the front of Jane's pajama top. Such beautiful golden curls resided there. He fanned out his fingers and slid his hand inside the pajama top and caressed the sleeping man's chest, drawing circles around one nipple as he felt himself become aroused.

Jane was slowly becoming aware of a warm sensation on his chest, and it felt really wonderful. Lisbon certainly knew what she was doing, and he hoped she kept it up! He felt warm and cozy, his blankets casually draped across his hips and legs. If Lisbon kept teasing him like this he would have to take charge and reciprocate soon. But for now he was enjoying his slow return to wakefulness at her hands.

Michael turned his attention away from studying Jane's face and looked down at where his hands were going next. He was becoming more aggressive in taking his liberties with Jane's body, whispering his desires to the sleeping man as his hands slid lower and lower. He was now fully leaning over Jane's prone body, his mind totally preoccupied with his sexual advances. Jane was now more aware of hands on his lower abdomen but strangely, they felt far too large to belong to Teresa. He knew her feather-like touch and the shape of her tiny hands on his larger body. This confused him. What the hell…?

Suddenly Michael's right hand slid under the waistband of Jane's pajama bottom and nestled in the warm patch of hair resting atop his pubic bone. So intent on his exploration of his newest disciple's body, Michael never noticed Jane's eyes fly open. Michael was surprised when he heard Jane issue a loud curse in shock. Turning his head to see why the sleeping man had spoken, Michael was stunned when Jane's fist connected with his prominent nose! Michael quickly pulled his hands back out of Jane's pants and grasped his bleeding nose as Jane sat up and drew his arm back in readiness to land another blow. Tears streamed out of Michaels eyes as he stepped away from the bed in anger.

"How dare you strike me Thomas!" he screamed at Jane.

"Get the hell out of here!" growled Jane, shaking with anger and horror at what Michael had been doing whilst he slept. He had nothing against consensual sex between any adults, but this sure as fuck wasn't consensual!

Michael took a step towards the bed with his hands up in supplication but when Jane took another swipe at his nose, Michael jumped back and hurried towards the door.

"You've gone too far Thomas. No one strikes The Messenger. No one!" barked Michael through his hands, which now cradled his rapidly swelling broken nose. He yanked the door open and stepped out into the hall, while Jane swung his legs over the edge of the bed, not sure just what he was going to do next. But he had to get away somehow. Michael had changed the game and Jane was no longer safe from his advances if he dared to fall asleep. The food and drink was drugged, he was being indoctrinated night and day, and now, now he couldn't even find sanctuary in sleep. Would Michael assault him again if he let his guard down? What the hell was he going to do?

Jane stood up unsteadily and reached for his robe, struggling to put it on, then hopped over to his crutches. He had taken a few steps across the floor when the door was wrenched open again and the two black suited men stepped into his room. Before Jane could protest he was grabbed by his upper arms again and dragged towards the door, his crutches dropped and kicked out of the way. As he was pulled along between the two men, Jane caught a glimpse of Michael being attended to by two very shaken nurses, who were stuffing gauze up his nose and taping it into position, while he cursed and wiped away the tears that were still running down his cheeks. Jane just had time to give him the finger as he was dragged past the furious man before he was pulled through a doorway and lost sight of the nursing station. In the rush to hustle Jane away, no one noticed the paper frog that had dropped out of the grey pajama top.

The two men walked in silence, hauling their protesting hostage along with no concern for the pain he was suffering as his foot bounced against the hard floor with every step. This continued until the men reached the end of the hall, then turned left and entered an new part of the building. They dragged Jane down a very dark and gloomy hallway, where there were four doors set into the walls, two on either side of the hall. Each door was secured with a heavy lock, and had a tiny grill set into the door. The person inside of the room could peek out and see the other side of the hall, and those on the outside could look in and spy on the person locked inside any time they wanted to.

When the men reached the last door on the left, one of them unlocked the door and opened it wide. With a mighty shove, they tossed Jane inside where he landed hard on the cold tiled floor. There was nothing in the room except a tiny wooden desk, which held a sheaf of paper and a pen. There was a bare light bulb hanging down from the high ceiling and a narrow window set high up on the wall. Jane lay on the ground in pain as the men turned and drew the door closed, locking it with a loud 'clank'. Jane pulled himself up into a sitting position and looked around. There was no bed, no chair, no creature comforts at all in the room that was clearly a cell. The chill in the room would soon sink into his bones as he was still only wearing thin cotton pajamas. At least he had put on a robe, so that would help a bit to stave off the cold. Glancing around, Jane saw the hated grill on the wall where the requisite lecture would no doubt soon start to pour into the room again. He was now a prisoner. Michael had ramped up his campaign of control and intimidation. If Jane thought it was difficult to get away from Refuge Ranch before, this was an entirely new problem to be solved.


	17. Cellmates

Thank you for all of the reviews, much appreciated. I'll respond when I have a chance but I'm so glad this story is keeping you all guessing!

The Messenger

Chapter 17

Cellmates

Jane sat with his back against the wall, listening to the receding footsteps of the two men in black suits. Whatever their relationship was to Michael, they certainly were good at their job of intimidating the poor flock of spiritual travellers stuck out here in the desert. Once he was sure the men had left this wing of the building, Jane crawled over to the door and pulled himself up the wall with his one good leg and his arms. With a hop or two he was finally standing in front of his door, peering out of the small mesh grill. There was no telling when the goons would return, or perhaps even Michael himself, no doubt to exact revenge on Jane for breaking his nose. He had to use his time wisely while he had some privacy.

Jane had no idea if he was alone or if the cells contained other poor acolytes who had somehow displeased The Messenger. Taking a chance, he called out to anyone who might hear his voice.

"Hello? Am I alone here or is there someone else in one of the rooms?" he called, not sure what else to say. Silence reigned.

"I'm Patrick, or… Thomas… either name will do. Is there anybody else here?" he tried again.

A small cough from across the hall caught his attention.

"Hello" he said hopefully.

"Hello" came the soft reply. A woman's voice!

"I'm Patrick Jane, but Michael calls me Thomas. Nice to hear your voice" Jane replied, so glad he wasn't truly alone.

After a long pause, a cautious voice spoke. "Yes, I know you Thomas. I'm Miriam. I was your nurse the night you were brought in."

Jane was shocked to hear it was his nurse imprisoned in her own tiny cell. "Why are you here Miriam? Why would Michael do this to you?" he asked, regaining his composure.

"I failed him Thomas. I'm here for re-education. This is the Re-education wing."

"Re-education…" repeated Jane, letting that phrase sink in. "What kind of re-education?"

There was a long silence during which Jane was not sure if Miriam had decided not to talk to him at all, or if she was afraid to tell him anything else. While he waited, he sat down against the wall and stared at his feet sticking out in front of him. He focussed on his damaged foot in particular, swaddled in bandages. His bandages, which hid a lock pick set and a bright blue button!

(Michael)

Michael let the nurses fuss over him for a while then he stood up and stalked down the hall to his door leading to the private tunnel. The nurses on duty knew better than to ask what had happened to their Messiah. He would reveal all when the time was right. Michael stepped into the tunnel and hurried to his office at the other end, eager for a strong drink and a chance to plan his revenge against that prick Jane. As eager as he was to turn the man and use him for his own purposes, he was furious that Jane had managed to break his nose and make him look like a schmuck!

Soon after he was ensconced in his luxurious office with a Scotch in his hand, the door opened and Bobbie, one of his goons, came in and sat down opposite Michael. Seeing his bloodied and swollen nose, Bobbie broke out in a loud giggle, smirking at Michael's discomfort.

"What happened to you Mikey?" he asked, pointing to his friends' face. "Someone finally fought back eh?"

"Shut up!" moaned Michael.

"I told you to leave the young girls alone Mikey. Not all of them believe you're a saint, not yet anyway!" laughed Bobbie.

"I said - Shut the fuck up!" groused Michael, touching his tender nose in pain. "And for your information it wasn't one of the women, OK? So forget about it!"

Bobbie leaned forward to look more closely at his friend. "Not one of the girls? Who then?"

Michael sat back and took a long pull of his drink, mixing alcohol with his pain meds, not a smart move.

"Oh my God! Did a man do this to you Mikey? Some disciple told you to keep your hands to yourself and cold cocked you? Beautiful!" laughed Bobbie, enormously amused by his boss's misfortune.

Michael regarded his friend with a mixture of annoyance and resignation. Damn that Bobbie. So smug and smart. Always had been, even when they were in grade school together and jumped into gangs together when they got kicked out of school one final time. What the hell, might as well tell him what Jane had been up to. He'd guess it soon enough anyway.

"It was that smartass Thomas. Seems he wasn't so drugged up that he couldn't land a punch when I wasn't looking" he complained. "I told Martha to put a double dose of sedation in his food tonight and the bastard still woke up and punched me when I paid him a visit."

"Now why would he do that Mikey? Hmmmm? Didn't he appreciate the Master's touch?" laughed Bobbie.

Michael looked at Bobbie and had to laugh in spite of the pain it caused him. "Yeah, I guess he didn't appreciate it when I let my fingers do the walking!" he snorted, causing both men to burst out laughing.

"You old perv" said Bobbie, knowing full well his friends' sexual proclivities.

"What can I say, he's very attractive and it sure as hell beats screwing Martha!" Michael explained logically. Both broke down laughing again.

Eventually both men sat quietly, Michael nursing his drink while Bobbie leaned back in his chair thinking.

"So now what? We locked him up with the others. He's not going to go down easy Mikey. He's too smart to cave in with some religious mumbo jumbo" said Bobbie. "Just who the hell is this guy anyway?"

Michael waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Just some guy Calvin found the other night on the back roads outside of Austin. Seemed smart and possibly wealthy. Spoke well, probably attended a good university, so must make good money. Good looking too, so I figured he would be useful to the cause if I could turn him. But it isn't going to be easy, you're right" he agreed.

"So, who is he? Does he have a real name other than Thomas?" asked Bobbie again.

Michael stood up and took the wallet out of Jane's jacket pocket. Throwing it on the table, Bobbie opened it and found Jane's driver's license.

"Patrick Jane, Austin Texas. Jane…..Jane...Odd name don't you think?" said Bobbie. Before Michael could pass comment, Bobbie leaned forward in his chair, deep in thought.

"I think I know this guy! Patrick Jane….sounds familiar."

"Never heard of him" sniffed Michael with disinterest.

Bobbie stared at the photo of Jane in his hand and reached for the laptop. Opening it up he started to key a question into a search engine.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Michael. He rarely touched the laptop, leaving the mysteries of the internet to his friend and assistant.

Bobbie ignored his question and instead focussed on the screen. A moment later a flood of information filled the screen and he started to scroll through it, picking out an article to read. As he did, his eyes got bigger and his jaw dropped.

"Holy shit!" he mumbled, typing more info into the computer.

"What? Holy shit what?" asked Michael, getting a little concerned. Draining his glass he stood up and walked around to stand behind Bobbie's chair.

"What's so interesting on the 'net?" he asked his friend.

Bobbie turned the computer around so it faced Michael fully. "This!" he said, pointing to the face on the screen.

"Meet Patrick Jane, the man who killed Red John!"

Michael took a step closer and leaned down to see better. Silently reading the copy, he turned pale, then put his hand through his long hair.

"This guy Jane killed Red John? The serial killer? But… but why's he free as a bird… why isn't he in jail?" he asked, confused.

Bobbie ignored him and kept reading.

"Patrick Jane, lost his wife and daughter to the serial killer Red John. He joined the CBI in California as a Consultant and worked there for over 10 years, finally finding his nemesis and killing Red John with his bare hands. He escaped to South America and lived there in exile for two years, before he was lured back to America by the FBI. Says here he works for them now."

Bobbie turned to face Michael.

"You fucking idiot! You brought an FBI agent here. Right after that business with Carruthers! You moron!"

Michael grabbed the laptop and dragged it over to his side of the table. He sat reading story after story about Patrick Jane and felt far worse now, and it had nothing to do with his broken nose.

Looking at Bobbie, he poured himself another drink and downed it in one gulp. What was he going to do now? This guy Jane was big trouble. He couldn't let him go now, not ever. He was going to be almost impossible to break. The other fools here wanted to believe, almost needed to be swindled out of their savings if it got them closer to God or Nirvana, or whatever the hell Michael was promising them this week.

This Patrick Jane was different. He had been brought here unconscious, against his will, and even when he woke up and told Michael to call the FBI to come and get him, Michael had ignored it. Michael had thought Jane was raving from his head injury. Shit! Now he was being held against his will, had been drugged and imprisoned. He could never be set free again. Michael felt ill as all the puzzle pieces fell into place. He wasn't cool with murder, not really. Carruthers was a mistake, a miscalculation. Was it murder or just an oversight? He was sure the police would call it murder. Add Patrick Jane to the mix and Michael's life would be over.

No, Jane couldn't ever be released. Perhaps, with time, he could be so brainwashed that he would settle in and become one of them, his previous life forgotten. That possibility was much more appealing to Michael. But to make that happen, he would have to break Jane now, beginning tonight in earnest. The gloves would come off and the indoctrination would have to be ramped up several notches. Time was ticking away.

Michael felt better now that he had a plan and knew who Thomas really was in his life back in Austin.

"Bobbie, you and Glenn go and get Jane. Grab Miriam too. Time to make an example out of Thomas for striking The Messenger. I want the whole community brought outside to the clearing out front. If anyone is asleep, wake them up and tell them they have to assemble by the lectern. Time to play Rock Paper Scissors!" Michael said firmly.

Bobbie stood up and agreed. Apparently Mikey had a plan and it was best to go along with it for now. He went in search of the other man in black, Glenn. Then they would go to the Re-education Rooms and find their victims.


	18. Two Lost Souls

I have been busy writing now that the holidays are just a memory. This is a pretty long chapter but much is happening now. Enjoy!

The Messenger

Chapter 18

Two Lost Souls

Lisbon hurried upstairs to have a meeting with Cho. Calvin had given her the information she needed to set up a meet and greet with The Messenger, Michael. The sooner they could work out the arrangements, the sooner they could look for Jane at the Ranch. It was getting late in the day. Calvin wasn't sure there would be enough time to call the men and get a pick-up planned. If it was too late, they would have to wait until tomorrow. Pushing too hard for a visit to the Ranch today would arouse suspicions. Knowing Jane was out there and not being able to rush out to find him was killing Lisbon. Calvin was currently being handcuffed and readied to be brought back upstairs to an interrogation room where he would place a call to Bobbie or Glenn. Michael never took his calls anymore.

Lisbon stepped out of the elevator and rushed over to Cho's office. Abbott was there as well and sat listening to her latest news with interest.

"So you and Cho are going to go out to the Ranch and offer yourselves up to be disciples of this nutcase? We can't provide backup once you are beyond the fence Lisbon!" he said with concern.

"I understand Dennis, but what other choice do we have? We can wear tracking devices and body mikes so all of you outside the fence can listen in and follow what is happening. At a given signal from us, you can break down the perimeter fence and come in for us if need be" she said. She needed this to happen, soon.

"What if we had a tracking 'copter in the air close by for backup, in case of injuries or a quick escape?" said Cho sensibly. The more help supplied by the FBI once he and Lisbon were taken to the Ranch the better.

"That's doable. Let me make some calls" said Abbott. The phone rang and Cho answered, then hung up.

"Calvin is waiting in Interrogation Room 2. We can get the call made and see what happens tonight."

"Ok folks, it's showtime!" said Abbott, getting up to follow Cho and Lisbon out of the office.

Calvin was sitting handcuffed in the small room, nursing a bottle of apple juice when Lisbon and Cho entered. Abbott watched from next door.

"OK Mr. De Luca. The phone is all yours. Keep in mind the call is being recorded and traced. Don't try to give them any signals or warnings that we are listening or it will go very badly for you with the DA. Got it?" said Cho.

De Luca nodded his head, "Got it."

Cho pushed the phone over to the prisoner and watched him dial, taking note of the real telephone number for Bobbie this time. De Luca leaned back and listened as the line rang and rang. After letting it ring for a while he hung up.

"No answer" he said in defeat.

"Try again" said Lisbon, not willing to just give up so easily.

The man stared at her and agreed. "OK lady."

De Luca dialed again, this time using the number for Glenn. After three rings, Glenn picked up.

"Calvin? What you got for me?" he said softly, knowing why Calvin would call him.

"Michael's going to love it! I got two idiot crunchy granola tree huggers. They want to save the earth and their souls. Rich trust fund babies who are tired of this sad world." De Luca was good. His blather was smooth and well practiced. He continued.

"I met them at the diner and they were real open to everything I had to say about the Ranch. They were practically signing on the dotted line right there and then. Can I bring them out tonight?" he asked with enthusiasm.

Glenn considered this but wasn't sure it was a good idea. Bobbie had just appeared and wanted him to go to the Re-education wing and grab Thomas and Miriam. Something was up apparently.

"I dunno Calvin, we're pretty busy here tonight. How about first thing in the morning. Michael won't want to meet anyone tonight."

"Are you sure, they're pretty excited about the Ranch and Michael" he tried again.

"Naw, everyone is being assembled outside for some kind of lecture. I think the new guy is in trouble and Michael is going to make an example of him. But I gotta go. I'll tell Michael about the new people. Call me back in an hour. Bye." Glenn hung up on De Luca.

Calvin hung up and shrugged his shoulders. "There's something going on and Michael is busy. You can go in the morning, first thing, but not tonight. Seems a new guy screwed up and is being publicly punished" he said thoughtlessly, not realizing the new guy had to be Jane. "I have to call back in an hour to confirm the visit. Tomorrow you get to meet The Messenger!" he said sarcastically.

Lisbon got up and walked out of the small room and sat on Jane's sofa. Was it Jane who was being punished even as they sat here in Austin, powerless to help him? A trace on the phone line would hopefully tell them where the ranch was. Perhaps they could mount a rescue operation tonight, in the dark. A raid! Her mind was racing with possible scenarios. Cho came out and joined her on the sofa.

"Wylie is trying to trace the location of the phone at the Ranch. The call might not have been long enough but if anyone can find the location, it will be Jason Wylie" he said with a small smile.

Lisbon nodded her head, yes, Wylie would do his best. Such a great kid.

"I know what you're thinking Lisbon" Cho said.

"Am I that transparent?" she replied.

"After all these years of working together, yes" he said. "You want to go out there with guns ablazing tonight in the dark and crash the place, raid the buildings and bring Jane out" he said flatly.

"I do. That's exactly what I want to do, the sooner the better!" she answered.

Cho patted her hand and smiled, saying "Me too…" then got up and went over to Wylie's desk. Lisbon smiled at Cho's receding form. What a wonderful friend and coworker. He would keep her on an even keel until they found Jane.

(Refuge Ranch)

Miriam sat in her tiny cell, where she had spent the entire day ever since getting off the night shift. Instead of going to her small room to sleep until the lecture in the auditorium that afternoon, she had been escorted roughly by the two men in black suits to the cell she was currently locked in. She knew she had deeply disappointed The Messenger. How her life had spun out of control. She had tried so hard to be good, to be obedient and to follow Michael's dictates for her own spiritual growth, but after 4 years… what had she accomplished? These thoughts disturbed her while she had sat in her cell and she felt it was a sure sign of her many failures. She was a spiritual disaster.

"Miriam? Are you OK?" asked Jane, concerned that she had not spoken again.

No one had asked her if she was OK in almost 4 years. Miriam had to give herself a little shake to understand that a man was actually concerned for her. A stranger no less!

"Yes… I'm Ok. Thank you Thomas."

"Just call me Jane" came the man's reply. "So Miriam, I know why I'm here, but why are you here?" Jane asked again. He heard a light set of footsteps and knew that Miriam was standing at her door, speaking through the grill in the door.

"I failed Michael in my duties. He has given me a lot of responsibility over the years and gradually I was rewarded by being given a green uniform. With that came more responsibility. And I failed him miserably. I need to reflect on that and learn from my carelessness. When I have found a solution to my misdeeds, Michael will set me free again to continue on my path with his help" she explained, sounding like a robot.

"Miriam, excuse my language, but that's bullshit" said Jane, his usual predilection for more polite language totally exhausted. He heard her gasp in shock at his reply.

"You don't understand Thomas, uh, I mean, Jane. I failed him in the most personal way. He trusted me and I was not worthy of it. He was right to remove me from my nursing duties if I couldn't even handle one special request from him" she continued.

Jane began to get a bad feeling. Just what personal thing did Michael want Miriam to do for him? Judging from what Michael had just done to him, Jane could only assume the worst.

"Miriam, Michael didn't physically assault you, did he?" Jane asked brashly, taking the chance that Miriam would be honest with him.

"That… that's not why I'm here Thomas" she said softly.

So he had raped her, Jane realized. But that was not why she was here now, not this time… That bastard! That controlling, conniving con artist… Jane knew Miriam had been assaulted by her Messenger, her voice gave it away. But. But… that's now why she was imprisoned. It was something else.

"Tell him Miriam!" came another voice. A man's voice. Then another. "It's OK Miriam. You told us, you can tell Thomas" came the second voice.

"Jeremiah? John?" called Jane.

"We're here" said Jeremiah. "We were brought here for Re-education. Michael will let us join the community again when we have learned to listen and obey. Same for you Thomas!" he said dolefully.

"You must learn to listen to The Messenger and he will set you free!" said John, a little too enthusiastically. Sadly, he was a true believer.

Jane dismissed their comments and focussed on Miriam again. "Please, Miriam, can you let me know why Michael would lock you up like this?" he asked her gently as he reached into his bindings to find the lock pick set.

There was a long silence as the young woman thought about telling another person her failings. John and Jeremiah knew. What difference did it make if Thomas knew? Soon enough the whole community would know of her downfall anyway…

"I was entrusted with Michael's most personal items. When you have earned his trust, and are elevated to the Greens, it's a big step. We all yearn to be released from our grey uniforms and rise upwards towards the Blues, becoming Michael's most advanced disciples. Michael gave me his laundry to care for. I was chosen to make sure his clothes were always spotless and carefully returned to him. A few days ago, when I returned his clean clothes to him, he noticed that a button was missing off his tunic top. It had been there when he wore it, but I, through my carelessness, lost it while washing the clothes. I searched everywhere in the laundry room and my room and even the halls, but the button is lost. Now Michael must appear in our midst with his clothing incomplete. It's all my fault. When I remember where the button is, he'll release me" she concluded.

Jane leaned against the wall as her story unfolded. When she explained about the missing button, he knew why it was missing.

"Miriam. What colour is the button?" he asked. This was such a stupid stupid reason to lock someone up, but a great way to control someone.

"Blue. Bright blue, a colour only Michael can wear. Why do you ask Mr. Jane?" she replied.

Jane reached down into the elastic wrappings around his ankle. He felt around in the soft material until his fingertip bumped into the object he sought. Grasping it tightly between his fingers, he stood up and hopped over to his door. Peering through the grill he raised the blue button up and showed it to Miriam.

"A button like this?" he asked Miriam.

Miriam peeked out of the small opening in her door and gasped. The button! The only button of that colour had to belong on Michael's clothing.

"Yes! Yes, exactly like that! Where did you find it Mr. Jane?" she exclaimed in surprise.

"I found it in the desert, right next to the spot where a dead man's body was found. A Walter Carruthers. Do you know him?" he asked hopefully.

Miriam was speechless. Mr. Jane had to be mistaken. The button had to have been lost here, at the Ranch. How could it be lost in the desert?

Next to a dead man….

"I uh… I don't know a man named Carruthers" she mumbled, still too confused to process the fact that a dead man had been found.

"Miriam, you didn't lose the button, Michael did when he dumped the body of Walter Carruthers in the desert. The button must have been torn off when he lifted the body out of his car or truck and left him there. You have done nothing wrong. Believe me" he coaxed her.

"But, I don't understand. What are you saying? Who is Walter Carruthers, and why were you in the desert Mr. Jane? Why did you go to the spot where he died?" she asked sensibly.

Before Jane could speak up, John answered.

"I met Walter Carruthers. He came here a few days ago and Michael showed him around, explaining the work we do here. Mr. Carruthers was a seeker of the truth and was considering joining us. We all tried to make him welcome, as Michael instructed us to do. I was outside in the garden when they walked by and I heard Michael introduce Carruthers to Martha outside of the hospital. Why are you asking about him? Are you a cop?"

Jane had to trust these people, as they were daring to trust him now. "No, I'm not a cop, but I work with the FBI in Austin as a consultant. We're investigating the death of Walter Carruthers. What happened to him?" asked Jane, glad that they could now definitively put Carruthers at the Ranch just before his death.

"No idea. I never saw him again. A day before you arrived Michael and his men had to go into the city on business. They came back late in the afternoon. I noticed that Michael's blue clothes were quite dirty but I can't say what he had been doing while he was away" John explained.

"I think it's safe to assume he and his goons were depositing poor Mr. Carruthers in the desert outside of Austin, not going for groceries. Miriam, that's why Michael lost his button, and it puts him at the scene of a crime. He is no Messiah" Jane emphasized. Pausing to see if Miriam or the men would react, he was saddened when no one spoke up. He tried again to make them see the truth of their situation here at Refuge Ranch.

"Michael is a common con-artist, a master manipulator, probably with a long and colourful rap sheet of crimes he committed. This is just his latest swindle. He's created a cult Miriam. A cult. He has sucked you and everyone else in on false promises of glory. It's a textbook example of separation and control. Michael must have studied cults and how they work. So far it's worked pretty well, until he killed Carruthers."

Before Miriam could respond, a crackling noise started to escape from the grill on the wall, and a moment later, a new lecture featuring their beloved Messenger boomed out of the speaker. Jane had had enough of that spiel. He couldn't listen to another word of this bunkum.

He leaned against the wall and fished around in the bindings on his ankle again and pulled out his lock pick set. In a moment, he was working to set himself free. Miriam had walked back across her small room and sat down, considering everything Jane and John had just said. A visitor to the Ranch was dead… Michael and his men disappeared and came back covered in dirt… his button was missing…

Was The Messenger a killer? Was she devoting her life to a criminal? She was too confused to speak, as her mind turned over every strange thing that had occurred in the last 4 years. Years spent wishing she could just go home for a few days to see if her mother was well and happy. Years yearning for a chance to see her sweet brother again. Surely that was not too much to ask after her years of hard work and devotion to Michael. But here she sat, in a cell under lock and key. Jane said Michael was a con artist, a criminal. And this was a cult.

Oh God….

A cult.

Jane didn't know how much time he had to get himself and the others free, so he hurried as he worked on the lock on his door. Smiling broadly with happiness that he now had control of something, he focussed on the lock. It was not a particularly sophisticated mechanism, and within 3 minutes he had turned all the tumblers and pushed the door open. Hopping over to Miriam's door, he repeated his work on her lock and this time opened it in less time.

"Miriam, come out. You don't need to be there anymore" he advised her as he opened the locks at Jeremiah and John's doors. Soon all four of them were standing in the hall seeing each other for the first time that day. Miriam was clearly worried, Jeremiah was just happy to be free and John was terrified that his Messenger would find them outside of their required Re-education rooms. So, he returned to his cell and refused to leave. Jane felt he had to explain to Miriam and Jeremiah why he was there at the Ranch.

"I was kidnapped by Michael's goons and brought here, unconscious. While I am grateful for the care I received in your little hospital, Michael will not let me leave" Jane explained to the small group. "You all might have come voluntarily, but I didn't. For all I know they engineered my accident in the first place. I intend to leave, now, today. Anyone want to come with me?" he asked the frightened group.

John called out from his cell. "No, Michael is a visionary and knows what's best for me. I will leave when he feels I should be allowed back in the community!" With that, he pulled his door closed and sat down on the floor, totally brainwashed by Michael.

Jane turned to Miriam and Jeremiah. "Coming with me? I need to steal a car and get back to Austin."

Jeremiah had not been at the Ranch long enough to be totally under Michael's control. He had tried his best to be subservient, but it wasn't really sitting well with him. This Jane guy seemed to be telling the truth. What if this was a cult and he was the dumb sucker who fell for it? The only way to know was to leave and spend some time thinking things over.

"I want out. I'll come with you Mr. Jane!" he said, his mind made up.

Jane smiled at him and then turned to Miriam. "Are you coming with us?" he asked.

Miriam had not made a single decision for herself for so long she was paralyzed with fear. Could she trust this man she had only met hours ago instead of Michael? This was crazy! Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Jane softened his tone and tried to convince her of his sincerity.

"Miriam, I know this is all a shock for you and it's hard for you to believe me. But Walter Carruthers is dead, most likely because he came here. This is a cult, whether or not you can see it yet. I work for the FBI. It's just a matter of time before my fellow agents figure out what happened to me. Please, set yourself free and go home to whatever family you have. Think about things and then decide what you want to do. Don't you owe yourself the chance to find out if I am telling the truth about Michael?"

Miriam wanted to go home so badly. Hearing Mr. Jane explain that doing so would be good for her only made her heart ache to see her mother and brother all the more. Surely Michael would understand? And if he didn't, what kind of religious man was he? A barrier in her mind seemed to slip away and she lifted her head up, new determination written on her face.

"I want to see my mother Mr. Jane. I need to go home. I'll come with you" she said softly.

"Excellent! If John wants to stay, so be it, but we need to get moving now. If someone would help me get going, we'll find our way outside and get a car" Jane began.

Miriam's instincts as a nurse took over and she put her arms around Jane with Jeremiah's help, then the three of them started down the hallway. The sound of a door slamming close by stopped them in their tracks almost immediately. They paused and listened. Footsteps were coming their way! Miriam started to panic, someone was coming and they were out of their cells!


	19. A Price Must Be Paid

Thank you's go out to everyone who wrote to me, guests and regulars alike. Your reviews, as you well know from your own experience, keep me going and encouraged. I have a few chapters written already and they are longish, as it is not possible to stop the action until just the right moment. Hope you don't mind.

The Messenger

Chapter 19

A Price Must Be Paid

Jane told everyone in hushed tones to quickly go back to their cells and pull the door closed. The fact that the doors were unlocked wouldn't be apparent to the casual observer. Jeremiah almost pulled Jane along while Miriam struggled to maneuver him down the hall.

"Just go, take care of yourselves!" Jane whispered, pushing Miriam towards her own small room.

She ran towards it while Jane took the last few painful hops towards his own door. Just as he swung it closed, Bobbie and Glenn appeared at the end of the hallway, none the wiser to the activity that had just taken place. Jeremiah, Miriam and Jane all sat down on their floors and waited to see what would happen next. Bobbie stopped outside Miriam's door and put his key into the door lock, turning the key uselessly since the lock was already open. Pulling the door open, he instructed Miriam to step out into the hall. Glen did the same at Jane's door, pulling it open and motioning for Jane to come out. Jane took his own sweet time to get up and hop over, then was grabbed and yanked out painfully, landing on the floor in the hall with a loud thump. His foot hit the hard tile and the grimace on Jane's face made Miriam's heart hurt. These men were so unnecessarily cruel, she saw it now.

John and Jeremiah stood at their doors watching, curious to know what was going on. Once Jane was standing again, he was put next to Miriam while Glenn opened the other two doors. Now all four prisoners were guided down the hall in silence, with Miriam and Jeremiah helping Jane keep his balance while he hopped. If only the men in suits had brought Jane's crutches!

Outside, large lights illuminated the square in front of the main building. Gradually it filled with workers and those lucky disciples who had already gone to bed. The sleepy group assembled in their pajamas and robes, huddling against the chill of the night. It had been a long time since Michael had convened one of his special sessions outside. Something had to be terribly wrong and the people were frightened. Had they incurred Michael's wrath somehow? As the last of the believers filled the square in a semi-circle around the lectern and the empty chair next to it, an expectant hush descended upon the crowd. They knew what was coming next. Every single person there was just glad that the sinner to be accused was not him, not her. At least, they hoped so.

The doors to the Emergency entrance at the hospital slid open and Michael emerged, dressed all in black as he had that afternoon in the auditorium. He walked solemnly towards the square, head down, his face hidden by his large brimmed fedora, grasping his walking stick in one hand. His hair fanned his face, hiding his ugly swollen nose and bandages. The crowd parted silently to let him through, then re-grouped, huddling close in fear and the cold night air. Michael made his way to the lectern and kept his head down, as if in prayer. No one moved. The tension mounted and the sound of feet shuffling on the hard earth could be heard. Michael was playing the crowd like a puppet master, pulling the strings and jerking their emotions around like so many marionettes on a stage.

At last, at a silent signal from The Messenger, a small group of people came around the side of the building far to the left of Michael's lectern. The assembly of people strained to see who was being brought forth in shame. Jeremiah and John led the group, followed by nurse Miriam, who was supporting a new man, the stranger they had seen earlier today in the wheelchair in the auditorium. Walking on either side of Miriam and Thomas were the two men in black suits, their presence keeping Jane and Miriam moving forward. When all 6 people were in front of Michael, he raised his head up and for the first time, the larger community saw the bandages and bruising on their Messiah's face. A collective gasp escaped the crowd as they realized someone had struck their Saviour! One of the men in black approached Michael and he whispered instructions to him. Bobbie nodded and stepped back. Then he and Glenn pulled Jeremiah and John back to the sidelines to watch the proceedings with the rest of the people. Just Jane and Miriam were now standing facing Michael.

Jane was impressed. This was quite the spectacle. The outdoor setting, late at night, the powerful lights illuminating Michael in a halo of light, and the cowed disciples, waiting to be whipped into a frenzy of emotion, it was pure theatre. Even though he was the centre of attention, he was curious to see what would happen next, he couldn't help it. From one showman to another, he had to appreciate the event for what it was - a conman holding sway over his audience.

Michael let his people stare at his swollen face for a few more minutes before he stepped up to the lectern and began to speak.

"My dear friends, my beloved. Thank you for coming. I know you are weary and need rest, but I need you by my side now, I need your support and your love. Can you give me your love tonight?" he asked earnestly, searching the faces in the crowd.

Like a well rehearsed play, the actors involved responded in turn.

"Yes Michael! We love you Michael! Use us Michael!" came the shouts from the disciples.

Michael let his people stare at his face while he remained silent. When the time was right, he would use his broken nose and blackening eyes to incite animosity against their newest brother, Thomas. But first, he had to make an example out of Miriam. In slow, modulated tones, Michael addressed his rapt audience. Jane swayed on his feet with hunger and thirst.

Pointing a long finger at the frightened young woman, he began his indictment of her.

"See who stands before you! This woman who is so precious to me. So precious to you!"

"Amen!" shouted the converts.

"Is she not one of my beloved children?" he asked the crowd.

"Yes Michael!" they responded rabidly.

"Yes...so loved…" Michael continued in a soft, disappointed voice. "This beloved woman, a nurse, a caregiver, a fellow seeker after the truth, has been a joy in my life for fours years" he continued quietly, so quietly that the people leaned forward slightly to catch every perfect word.

"Four years!" Michael bellowed, shocking the crowd.

"Is that not a lifetime here at Refuge Ranch?"

"Yes Michael!" his followers agreed in unison.

"A lifetime...to be sure…" he said softly, now looking downward in sadness.

Miriam was visibly shaking, her narrow shoulders vibrating both in fear and from the cold night air. She was still wearing the green short-sleeved nurses uniform she had worn at work the previous night. She needed a jacket or sweater at the very least. Jane was growing more and more angry at this callous tirade against Miriam. He knew this assembly and lecture was a farce, simply an intimidation tactic to maintain an atmosphere of fear and control over anyone who might consider breaking one of the many rules here. No one wanted to be standing where Miriam stood right now.

Michael ran a long finger along the brim of his hat, playing the crowd like a fiddle. Looking up he stared at the young woman before him.

"Miriam had advanced so far, or so I thought" he said, slowly shaking his head from side to side. "How wrong I was to have promoted her to her current place amongst you, my dear Greens!"

The devotees who wore green during the day shook their heads in disappointment as well. They no longer wanted her in their midst.

"And what has my beloved Miriam done, you may ask. How has she failed me, yet again?" Michael asked the crowd, searching their faces. He stopped speaking.

Then waited.

And waited.

His eyes scanned the crowd, feeling their curiosity get the better of them. God these people were like children. So easy to manipulate. An uneasy silence followed, a time during which the crowd imagined Miriam committing all sorts of despicable crimes, without knowing what this woman had really done. They began to hate her.

A single tear rolled down Miriam's face and she dared not move to wipe it away. She was clearly frightened. She had seen this type of public humiliation at the Ranch in the past, but never thought she would be the one being singled out for shaming. Jane turned to look at her and his heart broke for her suffering. That damned conman Michael was going too far! As soon as he could he would make sure Michael paid for hurting this innocent woman, but Jane dared not reveal what he knew about The Messenger, not yet. He couldn't talk about the button and the death of Carruthers, not here, not now. If he produced the button now and called Michael a liar, the button would be taken away from him and as such, the evidence of Michael's presence at the scene of the crime would be compromised. Jane ground his teeth in aggravation. He had to get the spotlight off Miriam and somehow speak to the crowd.

Michael waited until he felt the assembled people grow restless and angry with Miriam. Time to continue.

"Miriam was entrusted with my most valuable and personal holy garments. What can be more intimate than that? I trusted her. Trust! I ask you dearly beloved, what can replace trust once it has been discarded?" he asked rhetorically.

A moment later a voice called out. "Nothing Michael!"

"There is nothing greater than trust Michael!" shouted another devotee.

"Miriam doesn't love you Michael!" another shouted.

Michael smiled broadly under the brim of his fedora. This was going very well. These idiots still didn't know why Miriam was standing there in shame yet they were ready to cast stones at her if he asked them too. Michael slowly raised his palms in the air and hushed the angry crowd.

"My dear friends, you are wrong. There is something that can replace trust once it has been discarded."

Silence fell over the people and Jane rolled his eyes. This was worse than a "B" movie. He could guess what Michael would say next.

"Love! Love can replace trust! Love can replace disappointment!" he shouted, his voice growing more strident. Jane had guessed his response correctly.

"Love can replace carelessness and shame!"

"LOVE!" he screamed, frothing at the mouth now.

The believers bellowed back "LOVE!"

Michael paused for effect and when the hysterical crowd had calmed slightly, he carried on.

"I loved Miriam. I still do. She did not treat my holy garments with respect, or trust, and damaged them….but, because I love her so much, she will be allowed to stay and grow and learn from us, from you, from me. But now, Miriam must know shame. Shame for her actions! Shame for disappointing all of us with her immaturity!" he shouted, pounding the lectern with his fist. It reminded Jane of a film he had seen of Hitler whipping his listeners into a frenzy. Seeing Miriam so frightened, he surreptitiously reached out and grasped her hand as the crowd responded to Michael's rant by screaming "Shame! Shame! Shame!"

Miriam grabbed onto Jane's hand tightly and shook from head to toe. This wasn't over yet. Worse was to come.

Bobbie stood to the side of the crowd close to the front by the lectern. He saw Jane reach out and hold Miriam's hand. While the crowd went wild screaming "Shame!", he leaned over and whispered in Michael's ear. Michael looked up enough to see the two hands entwined and smiled briefly. Good. He could use this too.

"Enough!" he shouted, lifting his hands in the air. The crowd immediately fell silent. Michael stepped out from behind the lectern and took a step forward. Pointing his cane at Jane and Miriam, he spoke again, this time raising his head so all could once again gaze upon his heavily bandaged nose and blackened eyes. There was another audible gasp from the disciples as they got a better glimpse of the damage done to their Saint. Jane was exhausted from trying to balance on one foot, and his headache was pounding like a jackhammer inside his too small skull. He needed a good lie down.

"Look what I see! Look at this evil man taking liberties with our beloved Miriam!" he said, pointing his cane at their joined hands. The crowd was torn between the shock of seeing The Messenger's beaten face and looking at Jane holding Miriam's hand.

Jane immediately dropped her hand, not wanting to make things worse for her. It was too little, too late. Michael indicated to Glenn to lead Miriam aside so that he could now focus on Jane. Time to exercise total control.

Smiling at Jane, he spoke kindly. "Thomas, come, sit" he said, indicating the chair beside the lectern. Jane turned and looked at it and gratefully hopped over, glad to finally sit and rest his aching foot. He didn't know that sitting there in that chair, exposed under the spotlights, was the greatest shame anyone at the Ranch could suffer. The crowd was horrified. This was truly a bad man in their midst!

For his part, Jane couldn't care less what the chair symbolized. This wasn't his religion, it wasn't his soul in danger here, it was a comfy chair, nothing more. He arranged himself casually and smiled at the crowd staring at him. Raising his hand, he waved.

"Hello! Nice night for a party, yes?" he quipped, keen to show Michael he wasn't fooled by these theatrics.

Michael stared at him in frustration. Anyone else would be terrified by now. What was wrong with this guy? Couldn't he see he was in trouble and about to be shamed? Jane glanced around the square and seeing Martha, waved at her, just to piss her off. She turned her back on him in annoyance. She loved Michael. Jane continued to show his indifference to Michael's authority. Facing him, he began to speak.

"Thanks for the chair. I was getting tired. And bored. Really bored." Turning around to speak to the disciples, he addressed them.

"Aren't you bored too? I mean, this isn't very much fun is it? What's next? The Rockettes? Flying monkeys?"

Jane laughed to himself and then leaned forward, eyeing the confused crowd watching him and whispered conspiratorially.

"I've always loved flying monkeys!" he grinned, waving his hands through the air to indicate creatures sailing through space. A few faces broke out in smiles and Michael realized he was suddenly losing control over the situation. Even before he had said one word against Jane, the man was charming his disciples right under his nose!

Stepping forward, he tried to wrest the attention back to himself.

"This man" he began dramatically pointing to Jane, "this man was found near death in the desert and brought here. We cared for him, bound his wounds, fed him…"

"Drugged me!" corrected Jane, winking at the crowd.

"Fed him! Brought him into our fold and loved him. And what did he do?" asked Michael in annoyance.

"Uh...I wouldn't call it love Michael. More like teenaged groping under the sheets" snickered Jane, wagging his finger in Michael's direction. Bobbie hid a snort of derision at that comment.

Michael had to work hard to counter what Jane was doing to his audience. Grabbing his hat, Michael took it off and asked again, this time pointing to his swollen face.

"I ask you again, what did Thomas do in return for my love and kindness?"

"He beat you Michael!" Martha called out, guiding her fellow disciples into responding correctly.

"He abused your love!" shouted a Green.

"He hurt our Messenger!" yelled a newbie in grey.

Michael put his hat on again and pointed at Jane, satisfied he had control of his people again.

"I saved this man, this doubting Thomas, and in return, he beat me."

"It was self-defense! The man is a pervert!" shouted Jane.

Michael ignored Jane's comment and walked around behind the lectern while Jane watched him with interest. This was getting good.

Michael stood still, waiting for his disciples to focus on his next words. Jane yawned dramatically. Miriam shook her head quickly, trying to send Jane a warning.

"So what do we do with this man Thomas? How do we repay him for his hate and cowardice?"

The people remained silent for a while, contemplating a solution to Michael's query. The sound of a rock being thrown into the clearing by someone near the back of the group broke the spell. Another stone landed near Jane's feet, then another near the lectern. The smile fell off Jane's face as more stones sailed through the air, landing in the clearing. Were they going to stone him?

Michael held up his hands in supplication.

'Thank you friends. As always, the students teach the teacher. Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked, picking up a rock and weighing it in his hand.

"Yes Michael!"

"Let him learn love!" someone added.

Jane's smugness was now replaced with the beginnings of fear. If this group threw stones at him he would be dead in minutes. Standing up suddenly, he held out his hands.

"Don't I get a say in all this? Don't you want to know more about my sins?" he asked the angry people surrounding him.

Michael had no intention of letting Jane speak freely to his people, but the crowd took over.

"Speak! Speak! Speak!" they chanted.

Michael was definitely losing control and nodded at Bobbie and Glenn to grab Jane to subdue him and prevent him from interacting with the agitated mob.

"We have no need of your lies Thomas. Your actions speak volumes and for that, there will be a price to pay" said Michael. Turning to the crowd, Michael raised his hand to them and waited for them to fall silent.

"It shall be Rock, Paper, Scissors."

The crowd roared it's approval at this news. Turning to Jane, Michael smiled and held out one hand.

"I assume you know how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors?" asked Michael.

Jane was an expert at that childish game, which actually relied upon logic and timing. What the hell could playing that game tonight lead to? In moments, he would find out.


	20. Let The Game Begin

Jane and Miriam are in a very precarious position. Can he outsmart Michael at his own game? Thank you all very much for your lovely reviews. I especially enjoy the long chatty conversations I am having with some of you around the world, they make me smile! Damp England, warm Australia, chilly America, cold Canada, we all come together through our love of writing!

The Messenger

Chapter 20

Let The Game Begin

Bobbie and Glenn made Jane stand and face Michael. Jane smiled at him, no hint of his inner worry evident on his face.

"Of course I know how to play. I'm just surprised you play children's games!" he answered flippantly, not sure what he was getting into.

Michael smiled a tight grin and made no reply in the face of this blatant insult. Jane was unaware that it was an impossibility for him come out of this game a winner. No way. Bobbie and Glenn stepped away from Jane and left him balancing on one foot again.

"Shall we begin?" suggested Michael.

"What are we playing for?" asked Jane. Michael leered at him.

"Your soul."

"Don't have one to lose. Anything else?" quipped Jane.

"Wait and see then" oozed Michael with a serpent-like smile. Up close he was all bone and angles. No wonder he looked like a wraith.

Jane considered Michael for a moment, then leaned in close, close enough to whisper in his ear.

"You're good Michael,or whatever your real name is, very good. But you're just an old-time conman. I see you and what you're up to. From one conman to another, I know what this is all about. It's a long con whose time has run out. You just don't know it yet. When your followers discover you have feet of clay, they'll find themselves another Messiah. Time to find a new gig."

Betraying no surprise at this accusation, Michael kept his eyes on Jane as he straightened up and smiled broadly at the assembly of people watching.

"On my count…" he began, as if Jane had not spoken.

"ONE….TWO...THREE!"

Their hands pounded down three times and Jane's scissors cut Michael's paper. Both Jane and Michael smiled. Jane won that round.

"ONE….TWO….THREE!"

Their hands flew down again and Jane's rock smashed Michael's scissors. Even though he was losing, Michael smiled happily. Jane thought it odd.

"ONE….TWO….THREE!"

Once again Jane chose Rock and it smashed into Michael's scissors. The crowd was very still.

"It seems I won three in a row" said Jane.

Michael was grinning too. "Not everything is at it appears Thomas. Your Rock won over my scissors, twice. Rock it is!" he said, turning to the assembled disciples.

"It is Rocks!" he yelled, to their deafening roar of approval.

Jane couldn't figure out what was going on but it sure as hell didn't feel right. He began to back up, trying to get away from this crazy man, but he was grabbed by the men in black suits. This was it. His time had run out. Jane believed he would be stoned to death by this hysterical mob to make an example of him and his many sins against The Messenger. What else could it mean?

Michael returned to the lectern while the crowd tried to calm themselves down. Miriam was weeping at the side of the square and Jane was simply scared and confused.

"You may take Thomas and Miriam out to the field and begin" Michael instructed Glenn and Bobbie. Glenn wanted to return soon to tell Michael about the two people who wanted to visit in the morning. They seemed like great prospects.

Jane didn't go without a fight, struggling manfully as he and Miriam were dragged across the square. He fought back as well as he could, but with his arms restrained by Bobbie and one useless foot dragging along the hard ground, he was no match for the two muscular men ushering he and Miriam into the darkness. He could understand Michael's anger with him, but why stone sweet Miriam? To frighten the women into silence when he raped them too?

The crowd watched them go then waited until Michael walked across the square, entered the sliding doors at the hospital entrance, and disappeared. There was nothing left to see or do, so the crowd dispersed and returned to their work or their cold beds, the spectacle over. Whatever happened next was none of their concern. They had been through this before and knew their role in this little charade was finished.

Jeremiah and John stood waiting for someone to take them back to their Re-education cells. When no one bothered with them, they headed to their dormitory, to their beds as they normally did. If they did have to return to their cells, they were quite sure the men in black would return and find them soon enough.

Michael walked towards his tunnel with a huge smile on his sore face. That little show had gone very well. The disciples were once again reminded of his power over their lives, and Miriam had also been taken care of with dramatic effect. If he wanted to make sexual advances again in the future, he knew no one could or, would, say no. As for the missing button, who the hell cared? That whole issue was just a convenient excuse to scare her into submission. Miriam had been getting a little too eager to bend some rules and had asked to go see her family recently. That had to stop. After tonight, both she and that bastard Jane ceased to be a problem for Refuge Ranch.

Bobbie and Glenn half walked, half dragged Jane around the side of the building and out into deep darkness behind the last building in the compound. Miriam helped Jane along as well as she could, but her fear was hobbling her as well, so they both stumbled several times on their torturous walk. When they were at least 200 feet away from the last building in the compound, the men stopped walking and at a signal to someone at the nearest building, floodlights were switched on, nearly blinding Jane and Miriam. They covered their eyes with the back of their hands and looked around. They were standing in the middle of a large, flat piece of land. The area had clearly been marked off and was the size of a small football field. There were piles of rocks and large stones in little mounds all around the perimeter of the land, but the field itself was covered with rocks and boulders that had sat embedded in the ground for millennia. It would take many days with a backhoe to clear the land of all of the rocks that dented the earth here.

Jane put a protective arm around Miriam. Perhaps he could shield her with his body for a while, until it was too late. He looked from Glenn to Bobbie, gauging which one might be amenable to persuasion, who could be bribed into not picking up that first rock. Glenn seemed to be in a hurry to leave, so he wouldn't be the one to approach. Bobbie hung back, smirking at them like they were nothing, not humans who would soon be suffering at his hands. Jane had to work with him.

"We don't even know your names. Miriam and I deserve to know who we spend our last moments with" he began.

"Shut up!" barked Bobbie. "You don't get to talk. Just stand there and wait."

"But you need to know that I can…"

"You can't do anything now" said Bobbie, knowing full well that Jane was an employee of the FBI. Whatever game Jane was trying to play, he wouldn't fall for it.

Jane turned his back to the suited men and waited. Was this the time that his luck really ran out? He had no hope of Lisbon rushing in to save him now, no Cho with his game face on tackling Glenn while Lisbon arrested Bobbie. That was a fantasy. This was reality.

"Turn around and face me!" Glenn ordered Jane and Miriam. They did so, but very slowly. Bobbie and Glenn were enjoying this very much. Both knew that 'Thomas' and Miriam were certain they were going to die in minutes. Having that kind of power over a smart ass like 'Thomas' was wonderful. Jane held Miriam's hand and stood up as straight as he could before the first stone was hurled.

Glenn reached into his jacket and withdrew two steel hand trowels, the kind used to dig holes in a garden to plant flowers. Handing one to Jane and one to Miriam, he shoved them forward and pointed to the ground. The confusion and relief in their eyes was tangible.

"Dig up every rock you see, every stone and pebble, and carry them over to the piles at the side of the field. Don't miss a single rock or it will be used against you - understand?" he growled. Miriam nodded her head quickly and Jane just glared at Glenn, understanding rolling over him. This was still part of the game. They weren't going to die by stoning immediately! But there was a catch... Pick up every damned rock or be stoned with it anyway. What a great punishment. No wonder Michael was so happy to lose the game in the square. He lost nothing. It was Jane who would lose his life and his freedom, and most certainly his mind.

Both he and Miriam looked out at the field ahead of them and knew it was a useless assignment. It would take more than a trowel to unearth some of the larger rocks underneath their feet.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Work!" yelled Glenn while Bobbie just laughed at these two poor saps.

Miriam took a step or two forward and bent down to grab a rock. She had nothing to put it in and so had to walk to the edge of the field to add it to the pile. At this rate they would accomplish nothing. Jane took off his robe and hopped over to the small woman.

"Here, let's fill the robe and carry it over there together. Saves a lot of walking back and forth" he said kindly, laying it on the ground at her feet. Glenn saw them bend to their work, so he left Bobbie in charge and went to find Michael. He needed to tell him about the two eager beavers who wanted to join their happy little family ASAP. Calvin would be calling back at any time.

Jane couldn't bend over and pick up rocks with his lousy balance, so he plopped himself down on the hard ground and reached for every rock he could find, pitching it into the opened robe with a careful toss. Miriam sat down and did the same, to conserve energy and also to finally speak quietly to this interesting man who was so kind to her. Bobbie was sitting at the side of the field, playing a game on his phone, generally ignoring them as long as they picked rocks.

As Jane worked at loosening a large stone from its' earthen grasp, he leaned over and spoke to Miriam.

"This is just a game to Michael. He wants to teach us total obedience. With me it won't work but I'm sorry if I made any of this worse for you."

Miriam looked up from her work and shook her head, no. "You didn't. Michael was going to make an example of me no matter what. This just made his job easier, to humiliate two of us instead of one" she said with chagrin.

"I'm not humiliated!" said Jane. "Michael can't do that to me! I might be stuck here with a bum foot, but I haven't done anything wrong, and I bet you haven't either. I had to punch Michael in the nose, he assaulted me while I was asleep. This is a game Michael's playing. We just have to play a better game Miriam!" he smiled.

Against all logic, Miriam smiled too. "Mr. Jane you are the strangest man I've met in the last four years! You make me feel… " she struggled to find the right word. Eventually she sighed heavily.

"I make you feel what?" he whispered, tossing a large rock into the robe with a thud. Bobbie looked up briefly and then returned his attention to his game.

"I guess you make me feel hopeful. For the first time in a long time, even though we are stuck here, picking rocks, I feel hopeful that maybe it will all work out. Will it work out Mr. Jane?"

"That's the plan. Things are going very well actually" he said with confidence, giving her one of his megawatt smiles.

"Well now you're just teasing me" she said tossing a handful of stones. "How are things going well - look where we are!"

Jane grabbed one end of the robe and Miriam grabbed the other. Together they shuffled slowly over to the nearest pile of rocks and dumped their load out. Jane bent down and spoke softly to her, his back to Bobbie.

"Number one, we're still alive. I thought for sure we were going to be stoned to death, so anything else is a win-win for us!" he grinned. "And, we're in a very good place! Michael has gone back to his office to play on his computer, Glenn has disappeared, and Bobbie is busy on his phone. The rest of the community is either at work or sleeping. No one is really watching us. We can get out of here tonight. This is the best chance we've had all day!"

"Get back to work!" yelled Bobbie, standing and staring at them.

"OK, OK, just making room for more rocks" said Jane, picking up the robe again. Bobbie sat down again, immersed in crushing candy.

Miriam walked alongside Jane, holding him up. "Michael has a laptop?" she asked. "But he said there was no wifi out here, no landlines and no cell service!"

Jane bent to his task and picked up a large rock, wishing he could lob it Bobbie's head.

"Michael says a lot of things Miriam, but it's all lies. That's how he controls all of his true believers. I broke into his office and let me tell you, he is living in luxury while all of you are living like slaves. He can make a call and search the internet any time he wants. He said he didn't know who I was, but my suit is hanging in his office, with my wallet and ID in the jacket pocket" Jane continued. "This…" he said, waving his hand in the direction of the Ranch buildings "this is the lie. This is what a cult is all about. Please see that and leave when you can. Tonight. You could be having breakfast with your family in the morning" he said earnestly.

If he could just keep himself going long enough on no food and a migraine headache, he was going to make that happen tonight.


	21. Lovely Rocks

I have to publish while I can. Soon I have to share the computer and can't get to it as often as I would need it. However, the story will continue to be written. Thank you to everyone who wrote their comments and ideas. What a nice bunch!

The Messenger

Chapter 21

Lovely Rocks

Miriam looked down at the earth as she dug at a stubborn rock. As she did, a tear slid down her cheek, then another, until she was softly crying.

"Miriam, please believe me, I'm telling you the truth" Jane began to say to her.

"It's not that" she answered, sniffing loudly. Looking up at Jane with tear glazed eyes, she broke down in sobs. "Look at me! Just look at me! I'm a university trained nurse, but I'm sitting in the desert in the middle of the night digging up rocks. For what? For my immortal soul? How does this help me understand my place in the world?" she sobbed, all of her illusions shattered.

Jane peeked over his shoulder and watched Bobbie. He was busy opening a bottle of water and was staring at his phone screen. He obviously didn't consider Jane or Miriam a threat. He was wrong.

"Miriam, none of this is about faith, religion, or spirituality, whatever you want to call it. This is about a conman who found a quick way to make money and control people. If this doesn't feel right to you it's because it shouldn't. Do you trust me to get us out of here?" he asked.

"Yes. Yes I do. But I don't see how…" she mumbled softly.

"Leave that to me" said Jane. "We need to work a bit longer then I'm going to speak to Bobbie. With a bit of luck we'll be on our way soon. Just follow my lead" he said confidently.

Jane and Miriam continued to pick up rocks without complaint for a while, until the time was right. Jane stood up unsteadily and wobbled on his foot. Miriam had to steady him. His lack of food and drink was finally having an obvious effect on him. Breakfast and lunch had been many hours earlier in the day. A flush of dizziness hit him and he had to breath deeply to regain his equilibrium. Once he felt strong enough, he hopped over to where Bobbie sat in boredom still playing games on his phone.

"You got water?" asked Jane, sweating from the work he had been doing. He had dust and cuts all over his fingers from digging and pulling up rocks. Bobbie looked at him and then Miriam, as she stopped work and licked her lips in anticipation.

"Please?" Jane begged. "If Michael wants us to clear the land we need something to keep us going. Water would help" he suggested submissively.

Bobbie relented and opened up his backpack. "Ok. Here" he said, as he bent down to pull two bottles of water out of the backpack he was sitting on. Miriam came over and took one bottle gratefully.

"Get back over there!" shouted Bobbie, not liking both of them so close to him. Jane took the offered bottle of water but didn't open it right away. He made a show of reading the label, then he lifted the bottle high up in the air, catching the light from the overhead spotlights.

"Huh...will you look at that!" he said softly, twisting and turning the bottle so that the water sloshed inside the bottle, creating small waves and sparkling in the garish light.

"It's so nice, so pretty, the light on the water, twisting and turning. Twisting and turning" he muttered, waving the bottle back and forth in front of Bobbie's bored face. Bobbie watched the water catch the light and twist up the side of the bottle and cascade down again, over and over. In just a few minutes, Jane had him fully hypnotized. He could have lobbed a rock at Bobbie to knock him out, but if he missed his head, or hurt him too badly, it would have jeopardized their escape plans. Hypnosis was much tidier. Taking a long drink of water, Jane turned back to the sitting man and let his plan unfold.

"Now, what's your name?" asked Jane conversationally.

"Bobbie" came the dozy reply.

"Ok. Bobbie, you've done a wonderful job showing us the field and these lovely rocks. Thank you. Miriam and I have more work to do and must go and find a jeep. I need you to come with us and get the key, then show us the way out of here. But you must do it quietly. We don't want to wake anybody up or disturb Michael. What are you going to do for us?"

"Get the key and drive out of here. Don't wake anybody up" Bobbie repeated robotically. Miriam stared at Bobbie in amazement. How had Jane done that?

"I also need you to leave a note on this pile of rocks Bobbie. Leave a note for your buddy in the suit. If he comes back, tell him you put us back into our cells and you have gone to bed. Can you do that for us? For Michael so he doesn't worry?" he continued.

"Yes. I can do that" answered Bobbie, reaching for a small notepad in his jacket. While Jane and Miriam watched, he mindlessly left the note Jane had asked for and dutifully walked over to the closest pile of rocks and placed the note on top, secured by a small flat stone.

"Very good Bobbie. Michael will be so pleased. Now if you can help me, it's time to find the key and the jeep" Jane told Bobbie in a soft and soothing voice.

"Sure" said Bobbie, completely in Jane's control.

The three of them walked away from the field of rocks and headed for one of the buildings behind the main compound. Once there, Bobbie fished around in his coat pocket and produced a key. Jane put it into the lock and pushed open the door. Stepping inside, Miriam found the light switch and helped Jane inside with Bobbie. There were two jeeps inside, and a large van. The van was too big and cumbersome to drive quickly over the hard bumpy earth once they headed out into the desert. Jane took the keyring from Bobbie and sat in one of the jeeps, turning the key and seeing the gas gauge. It was half full. Trying the other jeep, he noticed it was almost empty.

"This one!" said Jane brightly, heading back to the first jeep, leading Bobbie into the backseat while he helped Miriam into the passenger seat beside him. Then he looked down and realized he couldn't drive. The pain that hit him when he tried to depress the gas pedal was going to be a problem.

"Miriam, can you drive a standard?" Jane asked as he got out of the driver's side of the jeep.

"Yes. My father insisted I learn. Good thing too, otherwise we would be in big trouble!' she smiled broadly. It was her first real smile in a long time. She got behind the wheel and Jane opened the garage door, then he hobbled into the passenger seat. Now if they could just get away from the compound without arousing any suspicion, they were on their way. Miriam hit the gas and the jeep lurched forward.

"Sorry! A little out of practice!" she apologized.

"It's OK, try again!"

She hit the gas pedal more gently this time and the car eased out into the night. She tried to stay away from the more brightly lit areas as they passed the various buildings on site. Finally they were in front of the main building and pulled away faster now, away from any prying eyes that may spot their hasty exit, out into the blackness of the Texas desert.

Miriam hit the gas and they sped down the long laneway leading to the main entrance to the Ranch. Bobbie bounced along in the backseat, a faraway, unconcerned look on his face. Jane turned to look at him and smiled.

'Having fun Bobbie?" he asked.

"Fun" came the flat reply.

"If you're good, you can have an ice cream cone when we get there!" teased Jane, laughing heartily at the ludicrous situation he found himself in.

"Love ice cream" came Bobbie's answer.

Miriam kept her foot down on the gas and after the half-mile drive they were at the gate. Now they had a problem on their hands. The gate was secured with a lock that could only be opened remotely by someone back at the Ranch, or if you knew the keypad code, you could punch it in and open the gate manually.

"Bobbie, can you key in the code and open the gate for us?" asked Jane.

Bobbie sat still and didn't move. "Bobbie, open the gate!" commanded Jane.

"Can't, don't know it" came the dull reply.

Miriam looked at Jane in panic. "If he doesn't know the code we can't get out! We're stuck here and they'll come for us when they don't find us in our cells!" Her voice was rising in fear.

Jane hopped out of the jeep and hobbled over to the gate. The keypad had 10 numbers on it and he had to guess the right sequence of numbers, and how many, to get the gate to open. The chances of that happening were… too difficult to calculate. He examined the locking mechanism and tried to pry the face off the box holding the keypad.

"I might be able to take this apart, short circuit the wiring and open the gate."

He found his lockpick set again and tried to use various tools from it to open the box and get to the wiring. None of his tools were any good for this job. As he tried to pry the metal face off the box, his tools started to bend and break. He considered ramming the gate with the jeep, but it was heavily fortified and only the jeep would have been damaged.

"Search the glove box for tools, any tools!" shouted Jane while he hopped around the jeep and rummaged through the back seat for anything useful. Bobbie sat impassively, Buddha-like, watching the frantic action.

"What are we going to do Mr. Jane? We can't get through this way!" shouted Miriam, looking behind the jeep to see if any lights were on the horizon. The glove box was empty save for a flashlight.

Jane had exhausted his attempts to break the lock and drive through the gate. The only thing left to do was to climb over the fence and make a run for it. But the chances of getting far were low. He couldn't go fast enough. Hell, he couldn't run at all.

"Miriam, we could climb the fence and run, but I would only slow you down. And I don't like the idea of you being alone out there" he said, indicating the black desert ahead of them. Lights from the nearest city were miles away on the horizon. They were stuck.

"Bobbie, where can we go that is safe, away from here, but within running distance?" asked Jane as a last ditch effort to get Miriam to safety.

Bobbie stood up and looked out into the blackness. Raising a finger to point, he indicated a spot ahead of them that they couldn't see. "There. Old mining shack. I found it last year. Just me. My secret" he droned on.

"What about Michael, did you tell him about your secret?" asked Jane suspiciously.

"My secret. Michael and Glenn are not going there. My secret" he repeated.

"Can you take Miriam there and keep her safe Bobbie?" asked Jane. Miriam looked at Jane like he had lost his mind. The only mind lost at the moment was Bobbie's.

"Sure" came the unemotional response.

Miriam came over to Jane as he reached into the glove compartment for the flashlight. He grabbed it and handed it to Miriam.

"Go. Climb over the fence and just run. Bobbie is under hypnosis until I release him. Let him get you out. He won't harm you now. Sooner or later the FBI will come looking for me and maybe you'll meet up with them. But you can't stay here!" Jane said quickly. Miriam began to argue but Jane just shoved her towards the fence.

"Climb! Then run!" he yelled at her.


	22. Off In All Directions

Well I wasn't going to put up another chapter until tomorrow, but what the heck, it's ready. Here ya go...

The Messenger

Chapter 22

Off In All Directions

Miriam did as she was told and clambered over the fence, soon followed by Bobbie. Once on the other side, he gently took her hand and guided her through the brush and bushes. Miriam turned to see where Jane was. He had jumped behind the steering wheel and was trying to drive the jeep backwards and away from the fence. After struggling for a while, he managed to depress the pedal and drove off, his foot screaming at the indignity of being squashed down onto the pedal. Once he had the jeep turned around, Jane left the roadway and took off into the desert again on the Ranch side of the fence. He had no idea how large the property was or where he was going, but he hoped that he could find somewhere to hide before Glenn and Michael came hunting for him. If ever there was a time for Lisbon and Cho to turn up, this was it!

(The Ranch)

Glenn knocked on Michael's door and stepped inside at his reply. Sitting down at the desk he eased off his leather boots and flexed his stockinged feet in relief. Michael raised his head from his laptop and switched off the porn he was watching.

"Get your goddammed shoes back on before you stink up my office!" he barked.

Glenn just ignored him and rubbed his feet while he relaxed back in the chair.

"Everything go OK out in the field?" asked Michael.

"Yeah. It was priceless. That smart ass Thomas thought he was going to be stoned! He looked scared shitless, you shouldda been there Mikey!" said Glenn laughing heartily.

"Good. He needed to be taken down a peg or two. I want them to pick rocks all night, no food, no breaks. Relieve Bobbie in a couple of hours so he can grab some sleep. By morning Thomas and Miriam will be nearly dead and won't be a problem anymore."

"Okey dokey Boss." Glenn stood up and wiggled his toes in the deep carpeting, relishing the softness.

"Is there something else you want?" asked Michael, eager to get back to his porn site.

"New business Boss. Calvin called just before we went out for the assembly. He met two rich Gen-Xer's who are tired of this evil world. They inherited a ton of money apparently and they're looking to do good with it. Calvin wants to bring them out for a tour as soon as possible before they find somewhere else to donate their money."

Michael sat up at this news. This was why he kept Calvin on a short leash, and sometimes it even paid off. Michael wanted to get his hooks into these people and siphon off their financial resources into his own bank account.

"Do they know this is a spiritual retreat in the desert?"

"Yup, Calvin said they're looking for a new path to increase their spiritual awareness. They've tried all the traditional religions and nothing stuck, so this is more appealing to them. I think we could turn them Boss" said Glenn with enthusiasm.

Michael leaned back in his chair with a gleam in his eyes. At least this day was ending well after all his trouble with Patrick Jane. If Calvin drove these new people out to the desert early tomorrow morning and Bobbie met them, he would make sure Jane and Miriam were hidden so deeply that the new people would not see them during their tour.

"Tell Calvin to meet you and Bobbie at the usual place in the desert at 8:30am tomorrow. Stash Thomas and Miriam in the pump room. Keep them quiet and when our guests leave, throw them into their cells in the Re-education rooms again. We'll begin intensive indoctrination immediately. Tell Martha to drug Thomas's food again. We don't want him thinking too hard, not for a long time" instructed Michael. "Take a nap, then go and relieve Bobbie."

"OK Boss, will do." Glenn sat down and shoved his feet back into his boots, then left Michael to cruise the porn sites he had finally learned how to find online.

Glenn had just left the building when his cell phone rang with Calvin's call. They made their arrangements and Glenn hung up on his way to his bed for a short two hour nap. Then he would enjoy watching Thomas and Miriam work themselves to death moving rocks from one side of the field to the other, all night long.

(FBI, Austin)

"Done!" said Calvin. "The meeting with the two guys from the Ranch will take place at 8:30am. So we have to leave at 7:30. Michael is very excited meet you" he said, looking at Cho and Lisbon.

"Good work. We'll have an extra agent in the car out of sight, so you don't pull a runner after we switch cars, got it?" said Cho.

The excitement in Calvin's eyes died as he realized that he couldn't drive off and escape once he met up with the two men from the Ranch. So it would be jail again. Sighing at this inevitable turn of events, he stood up as a guard escorted him out of the interrogation room and took him back to his cell to sleep.

Abbott joined Lisbon and Cho. "Go home, rest. We need to be sharp in the morning. Poke around as much as you dare and see if you can find any trace of Jane. We'll be outside the gate with backup agents, and a chopper will be airborne in case we need to do an extraction or rescue. Unless we hear from Jane, that's our plan."

"Sounds good. See you here at 7am" said Cho. Lisbon nodded and reached for her bag and car keys. Abbott touched her shoulder.

"We're this close" he said, putting his fingers together. "Wherever Jane is right now, we're going to find him. You know that right?" he said, gazing into her tired eyes.

"Thanks Dennis. That's what keeps me going. Jane is coming home. I can't consider anything else" Lisbon said grimly. "G'night Dennis."

"Good night Lisbon."

(The Desert)

Bobbie was a strong man, and with Jane's suggestion in his brain, he ran like a train through the darkness, almost carrying the tiny Miriam along for the ride. She was deeply afraid of him, but true to what Jane had promised her, Bobbie was taking good care of her. She knew almost nothing about hypnosis, but witnessing its effect on Bobbie was nothing short of miraculous. They ran as if the devil was on their heels, which in a way was true. They had no way of knowing when their absence would be discovered. It could be minutes, it could be hours from now. Once the alarm was raised, they would have to be well hidden to escape Michael and his devotees when the search began.

How would Jane get away? He was trapped within the fence, as climbing to freedom just on the other side was not an option for him. That twisted ankle could well spell his failure to escape. Miriam had no idea just how vast the property owned by Michael was.

It had once belonged to Martha's rich husband. He was a millionaire a few times over, and had owned several successful oil wells across the Texas back country. Both he and Martha had been deeply religious people, and when he died, she was lost without him. His money was no comfort to her. She had been a nurse for most of her life, so she could go back to that perhaps. She soon began a search for meaning in her life, which brought her to Michael's attention. Once he found out how rich and easily brainwashed she could be, he surrounded her with love and attention, and she became his first real convert. So happy was she with her new exalted position as a Blue, she donated all of her land to Michael's cause. What did she need thousands of acres of land for when she had found salvation? An old sheet metal building on a piece of her land became the first of many buildings at the brand new Refuge Ranch.

Because the Ranch was so huge, most of it was still raw desert, filled with wildlife and low scrubby vegetation. Large clumps of cacti dotted the landscape with their dangerously sharp needle covered arms. There were ways to survive in this hostile environment, but you had to know how. Without the basic knowledge of this land, you could die of thirst and exposure very quickly. Miriam and Bobbie ran on, his flashlight bouncing around as they dodged rocks and small bushes in the dark. After what seemed like an hour, Bobbie pulled up and pointed to a small structure ahead.

"My secret place!" he said happily. Both of them trod onward, exhausted from their run, glad of the safety from the night the small building would afford them. Spending the night with a zombie was somewhat intimidating, but since Bobbie was now at her command, Miriam figured she would find a way to make it through the next few hours until she finally made her way home again.

Jane drove like a man possessed. His headlights were the only light to guide him over the rough terrain. There was no sign of a fence ahead of him so he knew the Ranch was massive. He had to wonder if Michael had ever taken the time to explore all of the land he now owned. It was acre after acre of open land, not much new to look at after the first 50 or 60 acres. That alone could work in Jane's favour, but the jeep itself would be a beacon to Michael and his followers. Wherever the jeep was, Jane would be close by. With this realization, Jane knew he would have to abandon it eventually and strike out on his own. Taking the last few swallows of his water, he drove on in the darkness, worried about how he would manage to traverse the desert with no crutches and no one to support him. He would have to do something about that.

A mile further across the land, he stopped by a group of dead trees. The grey limbs had been standing there in the harsh wind and sun for over a hundred years. Jane got out of the jeep and hopped over to the nearest branches. With a mighty heave he worked to snap them off the trunk of the dead tree. The wood was almost petrified, so the work was impossibly hard. After a good 15 minutes of pulling and pushing, he had managed to break off two long branches with a Y shaped fork at the end. Grasping a blanket out of the jeep he torn off strips of cloth and manufactured two crude crutches for himself. Pleased with the results, he once again got in the jeep and drove on, a new idea bubbling up in his mind. He made a wide turn and headed back in the direction he had just come from. Michael would be sure to expect Jane and Miriam to run as far away as possible. That was the case with Miriam and Jane hoped that she was now safely hidden away in Bobbie's secret shack. Now he had to do what Michael didn't expect. He had to go back and hide at the Ranch itself. Jane tried to find his way back, looking for light glowing low against the ground to indicate the Ranch in the distance. When he had gone another 5 miles, he spied a group of buildings in a hollow on the horizon, with the odd light here and there indicating a bedroom or doorway and the spotlights illuminating the field of rocks. Had their escape been discovered yet? If so, he would have expected all of the searchlights to be blazing in the rock field as well as the courtyard in front of the hospital. Taking a very big chance on being re-captured, Jane drove on, heading for the very evil he had only just eluded.


	23. The Chase Is On

Thank you to everyone who wrote and commented on the last chapter. I wrote the ending last night and thoroughly enjoyed seeing how it all turned out. Ok, the next chapter is ready to go!

The Messenger

Chapter 23

The Chase Is On

(The Ranch)

Hannah was working the night shift at the hospital and was bored. With Miriam gone they were short staffed, but thankfully there were no new patients to take care of. Their newest new patient, Thomas, was out somewhere, being punished by The Messenger for striking him in the face. The thought of it was so shocking to Hannah she found it almost impossible to believe it had happened. If Michael had not shown everyone his broken and swollen nose she would have thought it was just a crazy story. Martha had confirmed that the new man Thomas had attacked their wonderful Messenger for no reason. What an evil man he must be after all Michael had done for him, Hannah mused. But what had Thomas said out there? He had been drugged? Who would do that to him? Surely not The Messenger? Not Martha or Miriam. So why had Thomas falsely accused his caregivers of such a terrible thing? Hannah's mind was wandering as she cleaned the floor for the second time that night out of boredom. Thomas had seemed so nice when she met him earlier that day. He had said his name was Patrick though…

None of this was making any sense and she scolded herself for wasting her thoughts on such a bad and ungrateful man. She gave her mop a final swipe across the floor when it snagged on something under the nurse's station counter. Reaching down, Hannah found a paper frog trapped in the fibres of the mop head. It was slightly damp, but when it dried out, it would be as good as new. She straightened out its bent hind leg and placed it on top of the counter by the clipboard, an amusing thing to play with once it was dry. Then she was off again, trying to keep herself busy and out of trouble. Once her mop was put away, she stepped into the room Thomas had so recently occupied. She stripped the bedding off the mattress and remade the bed with fresh linens in readiness for the next patient. She went into the washroom and cleaned up in there as well. When she returned she pushed the bed table against the wall, out of the way. Then she spotted the paper swan. It was where Jane had left it on his night table.

Hannah picked it up and studied it. The ordinary sheet paper had been transformed into a thing of delicate beauty. For some reason she was completely captivated by it. She smiled and held it in the middle of her palm. Her first instinct was to put it into her pocket and keep it in her room, something just for herself for a change. If Martha found it in her bedroom during an inspection, she would confiscate it and throw it away, accusing Hannah of being vain and greedy.

No, she would not keep it. Instead she put it back on the nightstand so the next patient could enjoy looking at it. Surely that was a much better use of this sweet paper confection. Feeling better with her decision made, she made a final sweep of the clean room and left, the door closing behind her. She was very eager to move up in the ranks here at the Ranch. She still wore a grey nurses uniform, but Michael had assured her that any day now she might receive her new Green uniform, like Miriam had not that long ago. She wondered how and when it would happen. Would Michael surprise her at dinner one night with praise and her uniform tucked under his arm? Would he leave it for her to find at her locker in the change room in the hospital? She had tried to ask Miriam what happened to her when she got her Green uniform, but for some reason Miriam refused to discuss it with her. Hannah gave it some thought and came to the realization that since the moment was special for each of them, why ruin it with telling everyone about your own personal encounter with The Messenger? Smiling at herself, she decided to be patient and wait to see how The Messenger would reward her with her new suit of Green cotton scrubs.

Glenn had been asleep for a solid two hours when his alarm went off. Grousing about having to get up just to watch two morons move rocks til dawn, he dressed warmly and made himself a large coffee to get through the night. On the way out he grabbed a donut from the kitchen and left by the back door of his building, sorry to be out in the cool night air instead of his warm bed. No doubt Bobbie would be ready to go inside now himself and find a snack as well. Too bad for Bobbie, Glenn had taken the last donut for himself.

Walking across the courtyard, Glenn looked ahead to the brightly lit area behind the last building on the compound. There was no sound coming from there. 'Thomas and Miriam had better not be taking a break' he thought to himself. Bobbie would catch hell from Michael if he was letting those two take it easy. Glenn walked a bit faster, hoping to catch Thomas and Miriam sitting down instead of hauling rocks. When he turned the corner and gazed across the field, he stopped dead in his tracks.

The field was empty. Oh there were piles and piles of rocks, that hadn't changed, but Thomas and Miriam were nowhere in sight! And Bobbie was missing too! That bastard! Taking the easy way out! Running over to the field, Glenn looked around for some sign of what had happened. Ahead of him he saw the nearest pile of rocks, and sitting atop it was a little piece of paper, flapping in the breeze under a stone. He strode over to it and lifted it out from under the flat rock. 'Gone to bed! Thomas and Miriam in their cells for the night'. What the blue blazes was Bobbie thinking? If Michael found out he went directly against his orders they would both be in shit! Goddammit Bobbie!

Glenn pocketed the note and took off for the main building. He ran inside and straight to Bobbie's room, throwing the door open and headed for the bedroom. Flicking on the light, he could see that no one had been in that bed for hours. Where the hell was Bobbie? He ran down the hall and made his way over to the wing housing the Re-education rooms. Turning on the overhead lights he ran down the corridor and pulled open the doors to the cells. They were all empty.

"Shit!" he cursed, thoroughly confused and pissed off now. Where had Bobbie taken those two idiots? It never occurred to Glenn that Thomas and Miriam could be anywhere other than in the company of their guard Bobbie. What to do…..

Glenn left the wing and started a search, going everywhere he thought Bobbie might drag Thomas and Miriam for a bit of fun and torment before dawn. There was no sign of them. Almost everyone was asleep and the few workers going about their jobs had not seen them since the spectacle in the courtyard hours ago. Glenn was fuming with anger and headed for Michael's office. He banged on the door but of course at this late hour, Michael was asleep in his private quarters. Glenn didn't want to wake him up, not with bad news, but this was not feeling right. Thomas, Miriam and Bobbie couldn't just disappear… could they?

Glenn had one final idea before he dared to wake his Boss. He ran back outside and headed for the garage where their vehicles were stored. He unlocked the door and stepped into the large space. When the lights came on, he had his answer. One of the jeeps was missing. He ran out and headed for the front of the compound. Once there he reached for a box on the wall and lifted the lid. A moment later an ear splitting alarm was sounded and suddenly lights came on all over the various buildings. Soon people were pouring out into the courtyard in confusion. Was this a raid? Was there a fire? Fire was always a big worry in the dry Texan desert. Soon Michael was in their midst, composed but angry. He dragged Glenn to one side and demanded an explanation for the rude awakening.

"I can't find Thomas, Miriam or Bobbie Boss. And there's a jeep missing from the garage. I think they escaped!" he said in a rush.

"What do you mean they escaped? Weren't you and Bobbie watching them move rocks like I told you?" Michael shouted in anger.

"Bobbie's shift was over and I went out to relieve him. When I got there, they were gone. I don't know how long they've been missing Boss. They could be miles away by now" he explained lamely.

Michael stared at Glenn to see if he was lying, but all he saw was fear and guilt. He was telling the truth. So now what? He ran his hand through his long silver hair and thought. A moment later he had regained control of the situation.

"Set up search parties. Take flashlights and scour the property. If they took a jeep, they most likely tried to get down to the main gate. Once they get there they can't get the jeep through without the code. Either they're on foot outside the fence or they're stuck inside the perimeter in the jeep. Either way, they can't get far. Bobbie won't let them get away from him. Thomas can't walk so he'll be the easiest to catch. Then we'll find Miriam. They'll be sorry they ever woke up today!" growled Michael, heading back inside to get dressed.

Glenn leapt into action and organized the men into search parties. Each group took a different section of the property to patrol. Glenn gassed up the other jeep and headed down the long road to the main gate. If the escapees were stuck there he would soon help Bobbie bring them back to face their punishment at Michael's hands.

Out in the desert, Jane stood up on the seat of the jeep and heard the alarm go off at the Ranch ahead of him. One by one the lights inside the compound buildings came on. They knew. Now he would have to use every instinct he had to remain hidden. First he had to ditch the jeep somewhere to confuse the searchers. Dimming his headlights, he turned the jeep to the left and headed directly parallel to the buildings ahead of him. He remembered passing a old oil patch pit, a deep hole in the ground he had almost driven into in his haste to escape. It was filled with dried out tumbleweeds and bracken, but it was still a deep crevasse in the earth He drove like a maniac, his foot screaming in pain from the pressure he was putting on the gas pedal but he had to power through it to make this work.

Ahead of him he saw the outline of the pit and slammed on the brakes. He slowed down and drove slowly up to the edge of the hole. He threw his crutches out of the jeep and hopped out. Then he put the jeep into neutral and got behind it and began to push. It was an impossible job but he had to do it, leaning his body weight against the jeep, shoving it closer and closer to the edge of the pit. When the front wheels hit the edge of the pit it took only another one or two shoves and the whole jeep fell down into the hole, its' wheels spinning and the engine humming. The bottom of the pit was impossible to see as it was so deep and filled with brush. With any luck the searchers would assume that Jane and the others were lying at the bottom of the pit, the jeep on top of their crushed bodies.

It was a long shot, but Jane hoped it would fool them. Now he grabbed his crude crutches from the ground and began his long torturous march back towards the compound. Fortunately for him, Jane could see the search parties fan out, their flashlights an indicator of their position and direction. If he stayed in the darkness just beside them or even between the groups of searchers, he might just walk right by them undetected. It was a bold, stupid and reckless plan, but he had no other chance to escape with his injuries. The crutches bit into his tender armpits but he walked resolutely forward, keeping his body parallel to the search party as they approached. The large group split in two as they neared him and he had to throw himself into the dust to avoid being seen. As the two new search parties gradually organized themselves and followed their new routes, Jane took advantage of the temporary confusion and hobbled forward in the dark space between the two groups. He had to stop every now and then to make sure his crutches scratching the dry earth didn't give his position away. At one point he had to duck down behind a large cactus plant and stay still as one group ventured dangerously close to him. Their flashlights swept over the large plant and continued, his crouched form tucked perilously close to the spikes of the enormous cactus. When he realized they had missed him, he stayed there for another few minutes to give them time to get far away from him before he stood up and continued painfully on his way. The distance he had to cover was daunting, but considering his limited options, he had to make it to his goal or be picked up and handed right back into the hands of his tormentors. He watched as groups in the distance swept the desert floor with their flashlights, but they were far away and going in the wrong direction. He kept moving forward, grinding his teeth with the pain of his damaged foot dragging through the brush. About 10 minutes later he heard excited voices calling to one another. They had found the destroyed jeep in the hole!

Jane could now make out the last building in the compound, on the horizon just over a slight rise bathed in light. If everyone stayed busy looking for him, Bobbie and Miriam, he just might be able to get to that building and find a hiding place. His luck had held out for a few hours now, but it could run out at any moment. His hands were bleeding from gripping the wooden crutches, but he kept moving forward, his goal within sight. Another search party was within shouting distance, but from the dispirited conversation he could overhear, they had all but given up hope of finding anyone out here tonight. He moved away from that group and was heartened to see a van pull away from the compound and head towards the jeep in the hole. That would keep them busy for a while he grinned to himself.

Forcing himself to keep going, he tried to relegate the pain in his body to another place far away, behind a locked door, in a building he was walking away from in his mind. Pain that he couldn't admit to or else he would just lie down and wait for Michael to claim him body and soul. As he stumped over the rough ground, his mind focussed on that thought. Pain is good, pain is powerful, pain is the kick in the ass to make you move Jane! The lights in the compound got closer, the space between him and his seekers grew greater, each step a victory. Jane was muttering quietly to himself now, urging himself to keep going, take another step and damn the consequences to his foot and aching shoulders.

Willing himself to go, just a bit further, he knew he might find sanctuary.


	24. Chaos

So Jane is in desperate need of shelter and food. How will he manage to find both alone and injured? Read on ...

The Messenger

Chapter 24

Chaos

(The Mining Shack)

Miriam had tucked herself into a corner of the small shack to maintain some body warmth, and to stay as far away from Bobbie as she could. For his part, he sat contentedly in the other corner, a glazed look in his eyes. Time held no meaning for him, and he was unaware of anything unusual about his situation. He was content just to be. Miriam sat and let exhaustion overwhelm her. She was desperately afraid of what was happening to poor Mr. Jane, out there somewhere in the night, alone and injured. With nothing else to distract her, she let her mind go over her years at the Ranch, and how she came to be there in the first place. It was all so exciting at first. She was working hard at growing spiritually, enjoying her discussions with the other enthusiastic seekers who had also given up their lives of materialism to study and grow in faith and love under the guidance of the ethereal Michael. She loved nursing, but the cases she worked on were never very exciting. The most difficult cases were usually burns or small broken bones, sprains or sunburn from a disciple spending too much time outside working on a building or fence. That's why she had enjoyed helping Thomas/Jane recover. His injuries were significant. Even now she was worried about his head injury. Instead of running for his life he should have been in a hospital bed, under the watchful eye of a neurologist. And his foot… she was sure it was broken, not sprained as she was told. But she had no voice, no say in anything.

After her first few months at the Ranch, she had finally been allowed to go home and see her mother and her brother. They were so worried about her! How could she explain to them how much this spiritual journey meant to her? They couldn't understand and tried so hard to get her to stay with them. But when her time was up, she went back to the Ranch to continue Michael's good work.

Good work… those words held no meaning for her now. She had learned by her second year that whatever good she hoped to derive from her many sacrifices, she only fell farther and farther behind in her spiritual growth. Michael had told her time and again that her selfish heart and needy personality were limiting her ascension to the higher ranks of disciples. She had been moved from the Greys to the Greens two years ago, only to lose that privilege when she begged Michael to let her see her mother again. When she persisted, he placed a grey uniform on her bed and she knew she had to start her journey all over again, the same lessons, the same chores, the same lectures concerning her failures. Last year she was finally given her green uniform back, but it came with conditions now.

Miriam shifted uncomfortably as she remembered how Michael had come to her room with the new Green uniform in his hands. It was his personal gift to her, a reward for all her hard work. She had been reborn, he said. She was his beloved child, he said. He had advanced and stroked her face with his long graceful fingers. He smiled and she saw his line of crooked teeth and suddenly felt like she was in the presence of a serpent. As he walked slowly forward, praising her for her growth and maturity, he backed her into her bed and she had fallen backwards onto the mattress.

She lost a part of herself that night.

When Michael finally left her room, she felt a stone grow in her heart where her love for Michael had once resided. She had been raped.

Raped...

She was a victim - of rape.

She wept in the old mining shack as the whole of her life the last four years weighed heavily on her. She had been kept so busy all the time she had had no time to grieve for her lost innocence, her lost trust and faith. But she couldn't leave, Michael wouldn't let her.

Mr. Jane was right. She was in a cult. Tears ran down her cheeks as she mourned her lost years away from her mother and her brother. Was her Mom still alive? Did her brother move away, his hopes of seeing his sister finally dead? She wept for all three of them and she wept with fear for the future. When she was all cried out, she wiped her face and took a deep breath. She was finally able to see everything so clearly. If she managed to get away from this shack and back to Austin, she would never return to Refuge Ranch. She would find her mother and her brother and never go into the desert again.

(Refuge Ranch)

Chaos reigned at the compound. Almost all of the men were out searching for Bobbie, Miriam and Thomas. Michael had dressed in his black suit again, a symbolic indication of his anger and need to control everyone's actions tonight. The women gathered in the auditorium to pray, not sure just what was happening but afraid and worried for their Messenger and his tiny flock of believers. So, they prayed.

Glenn had raced down to the front gate in the second jeep. When he got there he could see that someone had tried to tamper with the keypad, to no avail. Fresh tire tracks in the dirt indicated that someone had driven there very recently but turned around and returned towards the compound. No doubt they were far on the other side of the Ranch by now. It wouldn't do Thomas and Miriam any good, they couldn't get out that way either. Just what the hell was Bobbie doing in all this? Glenn stared out into the night, at the black desert ahead of him on the other side of the fence. Did they climb over and run into the night? That was pointless. They were so far away from any city or town no one could walk that far and live to tell their story. Jane wouldn't last a mile on that bad foot. Glenn contemplated opening the gate and driving through to search outside of the fence when his cell phone rang.

"Hello? Tell me you found them!" he barked.

Michael was on the other end of the call and had some interesting news.

"It seems Jane and the others drove into an old oil pit hole. We found the jeep part-way down the pit, with the engine still running. If they drove into the pit in the dark, it will be a miracle if any of them survived" he said. "Our guys out in the desert think one or all of them may be at the bottom of the pit, with the jeep on top of them" he finished.

"Huh…" said Glenn in surprise. What a dumb thing to do, but if you didn't know the landscape, it would be very easy to drive into that chasm in the desert floor and die on impact.

"So, the search is over?" he said hopefully.

Michael ran his finger gently over the bridge of his shattered nose. He took his time answering that question.

"I think not" he replied.

"But the jeep is down a hole Mikey!" Glenn sputtered. He wanted to go back to his warm bed. This was turning into the longest and most frustrating day.

"Yes it is. A jeep is down the hole" repeated Michael. "But how do we know Jane and the rest are down there too?" he questioned Glenn.

"Well someone is going to have to go down there and check it out!" Glenn said, the answer obvious.

"Yes, you're right. Report back to me when you're finished doing that Glenn. Don't disappoint me" said Michael. The call ended with a click.

Glenn stared at his phone in disbelief. Mikey just led him by the nose into that miserable job and he fell for it!

"Fuck!" screamed Glenn. He stomped his feet and threw his phone on the seat of the jeep. He seethed with anger at Mikey, Jane, this damned dry ugly desert, those stupid sheep back at the Ranch who actually believed an ex-con petty criminal was a new Messiah. Damn him and them all to hell! Now he had to shinny down a sticky black hole in the goddamned earth just to see a bunch of smashed bodies lying under a wrecked jeep. He stared up at the silent sky and screamed his frustration at the stars, which blinked placidly back at him, ignoring his anguish and anger. He got the same answer back from the universe that he got from Mikey. You're an asshole, now go back to work.

Glenn sighed deeply and walked back to his jeep and floored the engine, flooding it in his rage. He had to go down a goddamned hole and look for dead bodies, at night, in the desert! Shit he hated his job sometimes! And where the holy hell was that fucking Bobbie?

(The Compound)

Jane looked ahead and saw the back door of the building at the edge of the compound. He had no idea what was in that building, but if everyone was out looking for him, he needed to go there, now. Staying in the shadows as much as possible, Jane hobbled the last 100 feet towards the building. His arms were just about done and his foot, well if his foot fell off he would consider that a blessing. His migraine was cracking his skull open with each painful hop and he dearly wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep for a year.

50 feet to go… his hands kept slipping on the rough tree branch, further cutting into his bleeding palms.

40 feet to go… his throat was dry from the long walk and his anxiety. Licking his lips, he considered what kind of tea he would make when he got home to Lisbon's arms.

30 feet to go... he felt sweat drip into his eyes, but he couldn't stop to wipe it away.

20 feet to go… his foot bumped into a large rock he hadn't noticed and he cried out. He froze in fear… did anyone hear that?

10 feet to go… he concentrated on the doorknob in front of him and was imagining the feel of it in his hand.

5 feet to go… could hear himself panting like a dog, he was hot and tired and dry as a bone.

The doorknob was cool in his palm as he twisted it quickly. It didn't turn! Of all the things he had considered, Jane had not anticipated that the back door would be locked! He fumbled around looking for his lockpick set and dropped it in his haste to get inside. Some of his tools were bent and damaged from his attempt to open the keypad case at the front gate. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

Selecting a slender pick, he inserted it into the old lock and took a long, slow breath. Now was not the time to get flustered. He could do this if he calmed down. The fact that he was standing under a spotlight in a large open space did nothing to make him feel relaxed. He felt like a thousand eyes were on him.

A few twists and turns later, a slight 'click' let Jane know he had opened the lock. Gathering up his lock pick set, he grabbed his crutches and stepped inside the dark hallway, relieved to be out of sight once again. Jane was in some kind of long hallway, and judging from the sweet smell in the air, there was a laundry room close by. He could hear the faint hum of washers and dryers spinning their loads somewhere ahead. A light under a closed door indicated the room he sought. Jane pushed the door open and found himself in a large, very clean laundry room, with two washers and two dryers. A sink stood against the wall and clean folded clothes rested on a table top. Jane hobbled over to the sink and ran warm water over his bleeding hands, the water biting into the open cuts. Soap washed everything clean and then he put his face under the tap, glad to feel a little fresher after his hours of work and running away. When he was finished, he turned on the cold water and drank from the tap until he could drink no more.

He turned around and found a fluffy towel to dry himself off, luxuriating in the smell of the detergent in the cotton. Once he was dry, he hopped over to the table and searched through the clothes until he found underwear, a plain grey shirt and a dark pair of pants in his size. He had no idea if this was a uniform or someone's personal clothing. Whatever, now he felt more covered up than he had been when he drove across the desert in thin cotton pajamas. He searched the room but could only find a pair of slide on slippers. They would do. He balled up his filthy pajamas and discarded them in a basket of dirty laundry. Making his way back to the door, he opened it slightly and peeked out into the hall. Still no one there. Jane couldn't stay where he was as it was obvious someone was coming back soon to continue doing laundry. He had to go. He stepped out into the hall and made his way along until he reached a turning point. He could go left, or right. Left seemed to end in about 30 feet. A dead end. But if he went right, he felt it led to some larger place. Trusting his instincts, Jane headed to the right and took his chances.

(Oil Pit)

Glenn had organized the men from the Ranch into a work team to investigate the Pit. If Michael thought Glenn was going to go all the way down to the bottom of that monster, he was sadly mistaken. Instead, Glenn instructed the men to attach a chain to the hitch on the back of the van. That was lowered into the hole while Glenn carefully rappelled into the hole until he reached the back end of the jeep jammed precariously at an angle across the narrowest part of the hole. Attaching the chain with a hook to the trailer hitch on the jeep, he signalled for the men to pull the chain tight, securing the jeep against slipping further into the pit. After 20 minutes of work, the jeep was safely attached to the van via the chain and Glenn stepped onto the jeep and climbed down into the tilted front seat. He stood on the driver's seat and leaned over the window frame, shining his high beam flashlight down into the space directly under the vehicle.

The pit seemed endless in the light, but there was a decades-long web of dead brush, tumbleweeds, and weeds woven across the yawning space well below the edge of the chasm. The walls of the pit had been sticky with oil residue, and as the weeds fell down into the hole, they built up a kind of web, glued to the chasm walls. As time passed, the web grew day by day, year by by year, until a fragile but thick spongy mat covered over the hole about 30 feet down. The skeletons of unfortunate small animals who had tumbled into the pit lay on top of this matted nest, too light to fall through to the bottom of the hole.

Glenn stared down into the abyss, but couldn't see anything to indicate a body had plunged through the web and continued on down to the bottom. There was no sign of a human body or even a part of a dead body. If anyone had been thrown from the jeep and landed down there, a clear indentation in the debris would be evidence of the path the body took.

"Shit…" mumbled Glenn. 'So that bastard didn't die here. Where the hell was Jane? For that matter, where was Bobbie and how was Miriam missing too? There was no way she could run this far in the darkness.'

"Pull me up!" Glenn barked, thinking furiously about how to break this bad news to Michael. Any hope of getting some sleep tonight was now dashed. As the rope tugged Glenn upward, he clawed his way back to the surface as frustrated and angry as he had ever been. This so-called easy gig with Michael was certainly not turning out the way he expected.


	25. Into The Lion's Den

Just another chapter to get you through the weekend. Rosepeony, I hope you can get to the computer to catch up!

The Messenger

Chapter 25

Into The Lion's Den

(FBI Austin)

Dennis Abbott had tried to get Wylie to go home and get some rest. It was very late and they had many other bright young IT Techs who could continue checking maps and satellite phone records to trace the call Calvin had made. To his credit, Wylie steadfastly remained at his desk, doing what he could do to bring Jane home to Lisbon. He had been out in the field a time or two himself on cases, but he wasn't a natural the way Cho and Lisbon were. His place was here, grinding through data and using his computer like a magic compass. He was determined to locate the Ranch.

The quiet in the bullpen was a little unnerving. Wylie was used to the hustle and bustle of his fellow agents coming and going, discussing cases and throwing paper airplanes at each other to break the tension of a bad day at the office. He saw one sitting under Lisbon's desk so he got up to retrieve it, taking a moment to play around with it and gather his thoughts. As he did, a little 'ping' sounded on his screen and he dropped the paper plane to see what his data search had found. The cell towers on the edge of the desert had located a call deep in the desert, to a place within a two hundred mile radius of the possible location of the man Calvin had called. While not an exact location, it did narrow their search radius tremendously. Tomorrow Cho and Lisbon would be there themselves, so any information Wylie could dig up tonight would greatly aid them once they entered the lion's den.

Wylie began to type furiously, an idea bubbling up in his mind, courtesy of the paper airplane! Because the ranches and private oil patches out in the back country were so vast, some of the ranchers had their own small planes, finding the best way to get from point A to point B on their land was to fly there. If he could find out who in that large area had a pilot's license to fly their own aircraft, the local cops could contact them and grill them as to the location of a large unexplained complex of buildings out in the desert. Michael had conveniently neglected to tell the local authorities that he was running a private religious retreat out there. As long as he was unknown, invisible and beyond the reach of the tax department and police, he would keep it that way. But a rancher flying over the land would surely notice any changes to buildings or ranches below.

Wylie sent a quick text to Abbott to tell him about his latest theory and got busy checking registries for pilot's licenses. Ten minutes later he had a list of 5 names. Once he sent that off to Abbott, he got up and stretched his legs. Hopefully one or more of these ranchers had noticed something odd going on out in the flatlands of Texas.

(The Office)

Michael was holed up in his office, furious at Jane for escaping under Bobbie's big nose. But that didn't explain how he and Miriam made Bobbie disappear. Where the hell was his most trusted enforcer? Glenn was out in the chilly night looking for dead bodies at the bottom of that pit. While Michael hoped the bodies of Jane and Miriam would be down there, deader than Elvis, he would be sad to lose Bobbie. He would be hard to replace and Glenn was no match for him. All muscle, no brains.

He opened up a bottle of whisky and poured himself a tall drink. The women were all busy praying uselessly and the men were still out scouring the desert for any hint of the runaways. For now, Michael had nothing to do but wait until morning. Wait and see what the sun brought…

Oh shit!

Those two rich yahoo's were coming out here at 8:30 am! Glenn and Bobbie were supposed to go meet them.

Shit!

Reaching for the phone Michael tried to call Calvin, something he hated to do. It was best if he cancelled the meet and greet for another day. There was far too much going on at the Ranch right now to have two newbies walking around, talking to the disciples. Someone was bound to say the wrong thing and scare them off for good, taking their sinful money with them.

The phone rang and rang, then clicked off. Where the hell was Calvin? He was supposed to answer any time of the day or night. Goddam...couldn't he rely on anybody anymore?

While he stewed about the turn of events today, Glenn sauntered in, filthy with dirt and dried up oil, and sat down on the chair opposite Michael. About to yell at him for dirtying his upholstery, Michael thought better of it and instead poured a second drink, shoving it across the desktop to Glenn's blackened hand. Until they found Bobbie, he needed Glenn, so Michael decided not to piss him off about the chair. It could be replaced, but Glenn couldn't.

"Well? Are they dead?" Michael asked, looking over the rim of his glass.

Taking a long sip of whisky, Glenn shook his head. "Nope. Not one sign of them out there."

"Did you go down and look?" yelled Michael in frustration.

Glenn stared at Michael in disbelief. "Of course I did! Do I look like I just took a bath? I went down there and there's nothing but brush and dead animals. Jane's gone!"

Michael leaned back and fumed. More bad news. This guy Jane wasn't worth all this work and trouble. When he got his hands on Calvin he'd beat the crap outta him for suggesting such a bad prospect for salvation. Speaking of Calvin…

"We've got those two people coming in the morning. I tried to reach Calvin to cancel but he's not answering. Go and get cleaned up and get some rest. I need you to go meet Calvin at the usual place and bring those people here. I'll call a special assembly and tell everyone to keep to themselves and not speak to the tourists. Then I'll get them the hell outta here before something else goes wrong. Go!" barked Michael.

Glenn drained his glass and stood up, glad to finally be able to sleep, if only for a couple of hours. If Michael didn't do it himself, he just might kill Jane when he found him. Problem solved.

(The Mining Shack)

Miriam was still crouched down in the corner opposite Bobbie, who had dozed off into a peaceful sleep. She no longer was afraid of him. Whatever Thomas, or Jane, had done to him, it was working beautifully. With no other options available to her, she decided to get some sleep as well. The sun would be up soon and then she would have some hard decisions to make. Within a few minutes, her head fell back against the weathered wooden wall and she was fast asleep.

(The Compound)

Jane slowly made his way up the hallway towards a door set into the end wall. While he hadn't had an opportunity to see the layout of the buildings, it made sense that this narrow building sat next to a larger one farther forward and closer to the main groupings of buildings, including those housing the auditorium and the hospital, next door. When he got to the door, he rested his leg and his hands, which were bleeding again. The wood of his crutches was old and lumpy, stippled with knots and whorls, all of which dug into his palms with each step. Leaning back against the wall, a wave of nausea surged up from his empty, acid filled stomach, the bile coming up his esophagus so that he had to swallow back the foul liquid. Breaking out in a cold sweat, Jane realized he was in danger of throwing up. Either from a lack of food or his generally poor health, his body was rebelling against constantly moving forward without rest. He ran a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes as they felt so heavy and odd. When he looked back down the hall to see if anyone was coming, he noticed a large, swimming black spot in his field of vision, the spot surrounded by a bright lime green aura. What the hell was that? He blinked few times to clear his vision but the black kidney bean shaped spot grew larger with each blink. His headache had never abated and now a dull heaviness behind his eyes signalled a new problem. When he put his hand in front of his eyes, he only saw the edge of his last baby finger. The rest of his hand, in fact everything in the middle of his field of vision, was gone.

Jane knew what this was, he had read about this condition but had never experienced it himself. He was having an ocular migraine. His vision was being swallowed up second by second until only the tiniest bit of sight remained peripherally. A bit of panic hit him but he calmed himself down as well as he could. This ocular migraine was just temporary, a result of tiredness and stress. The hole in his sight could last for minutes or a few hours. From what he had read, there was nothing he could do but wait it out and rest, lie down, relax. Since that was an impossibility, he just had to stand there and use whatever bio-feedback techniques he could to calm down and regain his sight. He was totally exposed standing there. If anyone came through that door, he was finished. That knowledge did nothing to help him relax. Giving in to the inevitable, he leaned on his crutches and waited…

Jane waited for his stomach to settle down, waited for his sight to normalize, waited to see if he was about to be discovered. Minutes ticked by. No one came through the door and no one walked up the hallway to find him standing there. Jane opened his eyes when the swirling mass in his eyes started to grow smaller and smaller. The fluorescent kidney bean shrank with every blink and finally, was gone. He raised his hand in front of his face again and was relieved to see all five fingers waving back at him. His stomach still rebelled but he pushed forward, gingerly opening the door, hopeful of finding a hiding place somewhere ahead.

He had been mistaken. This building was not separate from the larger one out front, but was joined to it by a narrow, crooked breezeway. The building out front was the original old metal shed that had been enlarged and renovated many times. By connecting it to the other building by a breezeway, the disciples didn't have to go outside time and again, tracking dust into the other building with every entrance.

Jane hobbled forward, amazed that no one had stopped him yet, but he had no idea how late it was. Many people had grown tired of searching and praying and had gone to their beds, an early morning awaiting them. The few stragglers were making their way through the building and would soon be asleep as well. Jane had no idea how many disciples stayed up to work some kind of night shift, so he had to be careful every step of the way. Up ahead he heard doors slamming and an assortment of "G'nights!" being called between rooms. This might be a dorm. If so he had to be especially quiet. All he needed was to stumble and see every door fly open, angry voices raising an alarm for his re-capture. Slowly, painfully, he inched his way down the hall, careful not to let his crutches tap tap tap against the tile floor. That would give his location away to anyone still awake. It was a painfully slow walk, but he reached the end of the hall undetected, then slipped through the last door and soon was standing in the broad vestibule in front of the auditorium. Now he knew where he was.


	26. Desert Pilots

Well back to typing away. I hope to write the final draft of the ending over the next day or two. Thanks for the support from everyone who comments regularly, and for those readers who never review, thank you for reading! Enjoy.

The Messenger

Chapter 26

Desert Pilots

Jane stood facing the door to the auditorium where he had seen Michael whip his fervent believers into a frenzy. Would anyone expect him to be anywhere near here, where everyone gathered?

No.

He swung open the auditorium door and entered the garish room, taking in the heavy burgundy drapes and the stage ahead of him. Behind the drapes at the back of the stage, he felt sure there would be a small room, used to store props and lighting, extra curtains, whatever someone needed to maintain an assembly hall. That's where he decided to go.

The carpet on the floor muffled the sound of his crutches and he advanced a bit more quickly now, eager to finally lay down and rest. He got to the front of the room and stood on the stage for a moment. Looking out into the auditorium, he imagined all of the expectant faces staring up at Michael with rapt attention. That charlatan! Sighing deeply, Jane swung his leg around and hobbled towards the curtain at the back of the stage and peeked behind it. A narrow door was hidden there. He turned the doorknob and let himself in. The space was small and musty, old boxes and dusty drapes scattered around. It looked like no one had been in here for a very long time. If this room was forgotten, perhaps no one would think to look for him here. No matter, he had finally found a safe place to get some sleep tonight. His stomach growled with hunger, but for now, sleep was what he needed the most.

Jane dragged a large velvet curtain from a box and spread it in layers on the floor. He lay down and gathered the curtain around himself, making a warm cocoon. Within minutes he was asleep, exhaustion and stress forcing his body to finally shut down. Tomorrow would come all too soon, and he had to be as strong as possible to face it. His light snoring in the tiny room was muffled by the collection of boxes and old props all around him, so Jane was finally safe.

(State Troopers)

Teddy Ambrose had been a State Trooper for 6 years and knew pretty much everyone out in these parts of Texas. The people he watched over were hardy ranchers, individualistic and unafraid of anything or anyone. A loaded shotgun was by the doorway in nearly every home, and the farther out in the country the ranch was located, the more firearms would be hidden around the property. Coyotes and snakes weren't the only varmints the ranchers had to deal with. Teddy had received a message from the Austin FBI field office requesting assistance on a case. He was delighted. Not much happened out here, especially this late at night, so he jumped at the chance to do something important. He was given a list of names of ranchers who had a license to fly their own small aircraft. He would have to wake them up and ask them if they had noticed anything odd or different on the land they flew over regularly. Anything different could be important to the case, whatever it was. Reading the names, Teddy realized he knew all of these people. He got into his cruiser and drove out to the first address, closest to his station just outside of town.

Buck Calder came to the door dressed in his blue jeans and undershirt, a beer in his hand. He was used to being up all night so wasn't unduly perturbed by a late night visit from that nice kid Teddy. Once they had exchanged pleasantries, Teddy asked him if he had noticed anything out of the usual in the desert. New buildings, missing buildings, large numbers of vehicles assembled out there for no good reason… anything at all.

Buck had to disappoint young Trooper Ambrose. He hadn't been up in the air for at least a year now. Between being away to visit his sick sister out of state, and having a bad back, he just couldn't sit in his small Cessna and fly over the back country like he used to. Sorry fella.

Trooper Ambrose thanked him and got back on the road. Changing tactics, he decided to go visit the person who lived the farthest out in the desert. Surely that person would have seen something if he still had his plane.

Bud Merlihan had been asleep on the sofa, his snoring so annoying to his wife that she had turfed him out of their bed yet again. Trooper Ambrose's knocking on his door frightened him so badly that he grabbed his shotgun and yelled for whoever it was to 'bugger off'!

"Mr. Merlihan, it's me, Teddy Ambrose, with the State Troopers. Your grandson and I went to college together, remember?" Ambrose yelled through the wooden door.

A curtain rustled beside the door as Bud peered out to confirm this man's story. Yup, that was Teddy all right. Yanking the door open he invited the younger man inside.

"What in blazes brings you to my door this late at night?" he asked in surprise. "Everythin' OK with your Momma and Daddy?" he asked in his Texas drawl.

"They're find Mr. Merlihan, thanks for asking. Sorry to wake you but I need your help on a case I'm working."

Teddy repeated his questions, his notepad and pencil at the ready if old Bud had any news for him.

"Well let me see…" Bud began, running his hand over his whiskery face. "There isn't much new that ever goes on out here, ya know that Teddy" he said, not sure just what was so important about the desert.

"There's the old Steadman ranch. Ya know about Chip Steadman right Teddy?" he said to the young officer. Before Teddy could answer, Bud continued.

"Chip died a few years back and his widda Martha never got over it. They was a nice couple, real Christians. He had all those oil wells and was made'a money so they say…" he gossiped.

"And?" said Teddy, waiting to see if this went anywhere.

"And, like I was sayin' before you inneruppted me, Widda Martha inherited all the proceeds from the sale of his oil holdings. She's worth a mint if ya know what I mean" he winked at the young frustrated officer.

"What does that have to do with new buildings in the desert Bud?" asked Ambrose.

Bud shuffled around the small living room and plunked himself down in his old recliner, indicating a spot on the worn sofa to young Officer Teddty.

"Drink?" Bud asked, offering a warm can of coke to Ambrose.

Teddy politely refused and held his tongue. Any information from Bud Merlihan would have to come out at his chosen pace, which at this rate, was glacial.

Bud settled back, happy to have company.

"Now let's see, where were we?" he said to his guest.

"The Widow Steadman is very rich and you were just about to tell me if you noticed anything unusual about the desert the last time you took out your plane" he said optimistically.

"Oh yes…yes… the plane" Bud muttered. "Don't fly no more" he said succinctly.

Teddy's shoulders drooped in disappointment. This was going nowhere. "But I thought you still had a license after all these years. When did you give up flying?" he asked sadly.

Bud looked through the front window, clearly relishing the memory of soaring over the vast desert, free as a bird, unencumbered by traffic and nagging wives.

"Since my eyesight got lousy and my insurance rates went through the roof. I just can't do it no more" he said sadly.

"So you don't know if anything unusual happened out there then eh?" said Teddy as he closed his notebook.

"I never said that kid" sniffed Bud, opening up the warm coke and pouring it into a glass that just happened to be on the small table beside his chair.

Teddy's hopes rose again. "Ok, tell me. Anything. Anything at all that you noticed the last time you were up in the sky."

"Well let me see" Bud began all over again. "I flew for the last time about 6 months ago, kind'a to say goodbye to the plane if ya know what I mean. I set off with a full tank and just flew all afternoon 'til I was on fumes. Came home and put the old girl in the barn and there she sits to this day."

Teddy dared not interrupt him now that he was finally talking.

"I was way out there, well beyond McCarron County, flying over what used to be Chip Steadman's oil patch. Ya know years ago he started to build a large shed out there to keep tools and whatnot, but he gave that up. Next thing ya know he up and died. I figured his widda Martha would sell everything and go back up north to be with her kids, but she stayed on. Next thing I hear is that she's gone all new-agey and has hooked up with some preacher man out in the desert. Kind of a commune some say but no one knew for sure if it was just a rumour. Ya know how folks talk outta their asses…" he said with disdain.

"Yup. Go on Bud" said Teddy, writing everything down now.

"So anyway, I'm flying over the old Steadman place and instead of the one small shed Chip built, there's like… I dunno, maybe 3, 4, maybe 5 good sized buildings out there now. It looks like some kind of settlement or community, flag pole and all. Who the hell would live way out there? There ain't nothin' out there but snakes and cacti. Damn fools from the city."

"Can you show me on a map exactly where this compound is located Bud?" asked Teddy with excitement.

"What ya take me for, an idiot? Just 'cause I'm old don't mean I'm senile kid" said Bud, both flattered to be helpful and insulted that maybe young Teddy doubted his memory.

Bud stood up and went to his bookshelf. After rummaging around for a while he came back with a file folder stuffed full of papers. After a quick search, he pulled out a map of the entire area in this part of Texas. Bending over the opened map, his dirty fingernail jabbed a spot on the map.

'There. Right there. Six months ago there was a bunch'a buildings out where they shouldn't be."

Teddy nodded his head rapidly, knowing this was what the FBI needed to know.

"Bud, you've been a tremendous help. May I take this map with me?" he asked.

Bud waved his hand dismissively to indicate the map was now Teddy's. Teddy made a red circle on the map and folded it up, heading for the door.

"Thanks Mr. Merlihan. Say hello to the Missus from me and my folks" he said as he reached the door.

"Pleasure" smiled Bud, pleased as punch to have helped the kid. Nice boy, turned out OK.

Teddy ran to his car and radioed his supervisor with the good news. They had the exact location of the Ranch now. For whatever reason unknown to Trooper Ambrose, the FBI would soon be able to move forward with their operation. Teddy lived for these moments. He drove away in a cloud of dust and headed back to his station, grinning from ear to ear.


	27. Friend or Enemy?

As ever, thanks for the thoughtful reviews. If you are reading and have not taken the time to post a review, I would love to hear from you as well. I am eager to get the chapters up as they are completed, so here's another one.

The Messenger

Chapter 27

Friend or Enemy?

The sun was just coming up and the chill of the desert would soon be replaced with suffocating heat. Abbott, Wylie, Lisbon and Cho, as well as countless other agents, had been informed of the success of Wylie's idea about interviewing small plane owners. Even though Cho and Lisbon would soon drive out to the Ranch, the FBI had had the rest of the night to scope out the location of the Ranch, flying over it discreetly, taking photos and plotting their entry points if it came to that. As much prep as possible was done to carry out a rescue, but having Cho and Lisbon on the inside would greatly improve their chances of getting everyone out alive. No one could forget the tragedy of Waco Texas when the loyal followers of David Koresh perished in a fire at his compound in Elk, Texas, just outside Waco. Those people were Branch Davidians, and believed Koresh was their Prophet. The FBI lost agents that day too. Abbott was determined that history would not be repeated. Unfortunately, they had no way of knowing if the Refuge Ranch compound was heavily fortified and if the people inside had guns at their disposal. So little was known about what went on inside that gated community. They were entering blindly, at their own risk.

Lisbon arrived at work by 6:45 am, nervous and ready to go. Cho was there soon after. They decided to use fake names, calling themselves Michelle and Jason, a little kudo to their lost comrade Michelle Vega, and their bright IT Tech, Jason Wylie. They dressed conservatively and wore hidden body mikes. Cho had a camera on his collar button, and Lisbon had a camera on a metal stud on her purse. Everything they said, heard or saw would be transmitted back to Abbott and the backup teams just outside the compound. If they were frisked carefully, everything would go to hell pretty quickly.

At 7 am Calvin was brought upstairs and prepped for his part in this little charade. He was to speak only if spoken to when he met Bobbie and Glenn, nothing more. Then he was to drive out of sight whereupon the hidden agent would take over, Calvin securely handcuffed to a bar in the backseat.

At just before 7:30, the posse of cars left the FBI garage and headed out into McCarron County. They would stagger their arrivals at the gate so as not to arouse suspicion. The helicopter would be high in the air to track movement should someone try to escape by a hidden route. Now it was up to Lisbon and Cho to discover what had happened to Patrick Jane.

(The Shack)

Miriam woke up to a rumbling stomach and a stiff neck. When she opened her eyes and saw Bobbie sitting staring at her, she let out a little 'huff' of fear before remembering just where she was and why Bobbie was no longer a threat.

Miriam stood up, and so did Bobbie, mimicking her every move. She looked out through a crack in the old wooden door and scanned the horizon. There was nothing for miles in any direction. If she took off walking now, she would collapse from dehydration before she reached the nearest town. What to do? She turned and faced Bobbie, who's blank expression assured her that she would have to figure something out herself. If she only knew that help would soon be coming her way….

She was worried about Jane. He had made sure she was safe, but there was no one looking out for him. If she could make contact with someone today she would make sure to send help to the man who had proven her life was a sham. And then...what would she do with her freedom? There were people on the outside she desperately wanted to see again. Maybe today that would happen.

(The Compound)

Jane awoke with a start, his back stiff from lying on the hard floor of the prop room. The good thing was that he had slept, which is what he had needed. When he tried to stand, a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him and he had to sit down quickly on a nearby box. This was not going to work. If he didn't eat or drink something soon he really couldn't go on much longer. His concussion was playing havoc with his balance and thinking processes. His mind was usually whirling along at a startling clip, but now he laboured to plan his next move, his headache and fuzzy thinking slowing him down. He could continue to hide here until he passed out, became dehydrated, maybe died. Judging from the layer of dust in the room, no one would be coming in here any time soon. He was safe, but not safe.

He stood again, leaning on the assorted detritus of the prop room, and peeked out of the door. Pulling back the curtain slightly, he scanned the room to see if he was alone in the large space. It was still empty. Jane had to make a plan. If he left this room he would be discovered very quickly. The need for food, however, was pressing. He leaned back against the wall of the small room and gazed out into the small auditorium. While he watched, the back door opened and a few women entered, carrying books and papers. They were carrying a tray with cereal, toast, coffee, an apple and orange, buns and milk. As Jane watched, salivating at the thought of eating that food, they settled themselves on some seats about halfway down the room. The door opened again and another woman joined them carrying another tray of breakfast items. They all sat in a group, eating and discussing the events of the previous night. Jane could easily hear their conversation in the echoey space. They were unable to speak freely in the small cafeteria, so had slipped away to eat in here, without being overheard. Apparently Michael had spoken to everyone in the cafeteria that morning before they went about their duties for the day. They were to keep to themselves, not interact with the guests except to smile and be polite. To do otherwise was risking discipline. They got the message. The women chatted about the visitors and who they might be.

Jane smirked. Those rule breakers! If he could scare them off maybe he could steal some of their food! Unfortunately he couldn't think clearly enough to find a way to startle them and so he saw them finish off their meal and then carry their trays out again when they left by the same door. Sighing in disappointment, he sat down and was about to close the prop room door again when he heard the back door open one more time. It was only 7am, how could this auditorium be so busy so early in the day? As he watched, he saw Michael enter wearing his black suit and hat. A moment later, the lovely red-haired nurse Hannah entered by another door. She seemed tentative and nervous. What was that old goat up to in here, with her, at this hour? Hannah wandered part way down the aisle, then stopped when Michael called to her. She froze immediately and turned to face her Messiah. Jane withdrew slightly so as not to be seen, while he watched Hannah wait for Michael to approach her. Michael strode majestically towards her using his cane as a magnificent prop. Jane supposed that Michael didn't really need it at all.

"Hannah, my dear child, thank you for coming after your long shift last night" he said smoothly.

"Martha said you needed me, so here I am" she replied. "How can I help you Michael?" she asked innocently.

Michael stepped closer to her and smiled. "It's really about how I can help you" he said cryptically.

Hannah was confused. What did Michael mean?

Michael reached out and grasped Hannah's arm and leaned in close. "I would like to meet you later today, just the two of us. I have something very important to tell you" he explained, still leaving the young woman without a clear explanation.

Jane could hear their conversation and he knew the meaning behind Michael's words. Hannah was in danger, but she had no way of knowing just what kind of surprise Michael had in mind for her later.

Michael had invaded Hannah's personal space and she felt he was getting too close to her. She felt uncomfortable. Before she could back up, the door to the auditorium was pushed open and one of the senior Blue men addressed Michael.

"Excuse me Michael, but you wanted to know when our guests were on their way."

Michael nodded his head in acknowledgement and waved the man away. The whole community had been alerted this morning that strangers would be in their midst. They had to be happy, smiling, generous people to make a good impression on the newbies. Michael turned to Hannah and smiled, running his hand over her red hair.

"I'll see you later my child", then he turned and left her standing alone. She felt odd. Excited. Disquieted. To be honest, she felt a little creeped out. He had gotten awfully close to her. What would he have done if that man had not come in just then?

Jane had watched the whole encounter and felt like a voyeur. One thing was clear to him, Michael was going to assault Hannah later that day. Knowing that Michael had raped Miriam, he knew the bastard would keep doing it until he was stopped. Hannah was so innocent and trusting, it would ruin her. If he could prevent that assault somehow he would do it, danger be damned.

But first...that Blue guy had said that guests were coming! People from the outside were on their way! Jane's brain lit up, weighing the possibilities. Carruthers had been there and now was dead. Jane had been brought there, and now was on the run, trying to survive Michael's "love." Why would Michael risk bringing new people here, today, with three people still unaccounted for? The benefits of having strangers wandering around the Ranch today must have outweighed his reservations about having them here, now, with so many loose ends to tie up. Could these 'guests' be that valuable? They must have met Calvin and impressed him somehow.

Money. They must have lots of it.

It had to be wealth and a desire to follow a new Messiah, just like so many here now had done, that made Michael take such a big chance on these strangers. The timing felt wrong though, so soon after Jane's disastrous arrival. Was is just about money after all?

Lisbon! Could Lisbon and maybe Cho be coming to look for him? God that was a longshot! Calming himself down, Jane had to consider the more obvious answer. These were just foolish, rich people, that's all.

There was no way he could find out since he had to remain hidden. But maybe…

Hannah could be his eyes and ears. She could move freely throughout the compound and report back to him, if he could make her trust him. It would be a huge risk to reveal himself to her as she could just run off and report him to Michael and his goon Glenn, but he had to take a chance. Jane felt the box he was sitting on sag underneath him, so he stood to find a better place to rest. Unfortunately his balance was not very good now, his concussion and hunger making him tippy. As he leaned against the wall for support, he turned too quickly and fell with a crash to the floor. Several boxes tumbled down as well, the loud bang obvious to anyone in the auditorium. Jane's heart skipped a beat.

No...no! It couldn't happen like this! He feared he would be discovered and dragged away and never make contact with agents if they came!

He struggled to get up but froze when the door to the prop room flew open. Jane looked up into the frightened eyes of Hannah. When she realized who was lying there, he heard her gasp in shock. She stood paralyzed with indecision. The whole community was looking for Thomas, and here he was, right under their noses! She turned to run away with her news when Jane called after her.

"Help me!"

Hannah paused and didn't know what to do.

"Please Hannah. Help me!" he beseeched her.

Hannah faced the injured man and studied him. He was clearly ill and in pain, and the nurse in her felt she had to go to his assistance. But, Michael had warned everyone that Thomas was evil, a devil, ungrateful and spiteful. After all, Thomas had punched Michael in the nose!

Jane saw the indecision in her eyes and had to use it to his advantage. "Hannah, I need your help. Everything you've been told about me is a lie" he said, taking a chance that she would want to know more.

"Michael wants to drug me and lock me up. I didn't come here because I wanted to be here, I was brought here and Michael won't let me go home."

Hannah snapped back instantly. "You attacked our Messenger! You used violence against that holy man!" she said vehemently.

"Yes, I certainly did, and I'd do it again Hannah. I needed to hit Michael."

Hannah took a step closer, while Jane struggled to get up.

"Why? Why would you do that after everything we did to help you?" she asked angrily.

Jane managed to get up painfully, grabbing boxes for support. He only had minutes to persuade Hannah that he was the innocent person here, not the villain.

"Hannah, from the moment I got here, Michael ordered Martha to drug me, either in my IV solution or in my food. I didn't know I was drugged until I stopped eating and drinking what I was given. Remember when I threw up after going to the auditorium yesterday?"

"Yes…"

"I was sick from the drugs. That whole assembly was so confusing for me, like I was watching it through a distorted lens. I was scared and captivated at the same time. That's not me Hannah, not by along shot. When I threw away the food and drink, I got my mind back and everything started to make sense again. Michael tried to convince me that I had been a patient here for three weeks and that no one was looking for me."

Hannah shook her head in confusion. "No...How can that be? You were only admitted two nights ago."

"Yes, I know that now, and of course you know when I arrived, but Michael did everything he could to convince me that I was very sick and had been in the hospital for three weeks." Jane sat down on a sturdy box and mopped his forehead on his sleeve. He felt terrible.

Hannah sat down on a box as well and tried to make sense of this crazy story. Jane tried again.

"Hannah, when I woke up in the hospital, what did I say to you?"

"You...you told me your name was Patrick" she said.

"Yes, that's right. I told you that because I still knew who I was. Michael tried to convince me that I didn't know my own name, that it kept changing, that I was out of my mind. Then he told me my injuries were healing very slowly, but I took the wraps off my ankle and saw that it was still swelling and turning black and blue. A three week old bruise would be light yellow or completely gone by then, yes?"

"Yes...it would" Hannah had to agree.

"And Michael told me my head wound was very serious and that's why I was so confused. But can you tell me why my gash would still have the original stitches in it three weeks after they were put in?" he said logically. "I checked that too, and that's when I knew Michael was lying to me and I suspected that I was being drugged."

Hannah got up and gently peeled the bandage off Jane's head wound.

"Those stitches are still very fresh" she said. Anyone could see they were only just beginning to heal.

"Yes, they are. I can't walk because my ankle is still badly twisted. Michael has been lying to me and lying to you as well."

Hannah listened thoughtfully, but remembered her real concern.

"But you hit him! Did you hit him for lying to you?"

Jane took a deep breath and much as he didn't want to talk about it, he had to tell Hannah the truth so she could see Michael for the crude and dangerous man he truly was.

"No Hannah. I didn't hit him when I found out he had been lying to me. I… he...Michael came to my room after I fell asleep. He was touching me...in places that were inappropriate...without my consent. When I felt his hands on me I woke up and punched him in the nose. I had to, to make him stop."

Hannah's hands flew up to her face in shock. "No! Stop! You're the one who's lying now! Michael wouldn't do such a horrible thing to you, to a sick man!" she said, disgusted at what he was suggesting.

"You're a liar and I have to find Michael. He'll know what to do with you!" she shouted at Jane.


	28. Michelle and Jason

Had a small panic attack! Thought all my chapters past and future, were deleted from my computer, which also would not work. Thankfully, it was a false alarm. Otherwise the following chapters would have had to be recreated! Anyway, your guesses as to what will happen next are great. Wrong...but great! Also, in the last chapter, when I published it, for some reason one whole paragraph ended up being bolded. I didn't mean to do that so if you got that chapter with a paragraph yelling at you, sorry. It was in error, which I have now corrected.

The Messenger

Chapter 28

Michelle and Jason

Jane was losing his chance to convince Hannah to believe him and his accusations against her Messiah. She had to be made to understand what Michael was really all about. Time was ticking away and soon the guests would arrive.

"Think about it Hannah. Why would I hit him? I was in bed, unable to fight him off any other way. He was molesting me as I slept and my only recourse was to hit him. And for that he dragged me off and locked me in a cell. Did you know that there are cells here at the Ranch?"

Hannah shook her head in disbelief. What was he talking about?

"Cells with locked doors and no beds, where you stay until Michael decides what to do with you? I bet he kept that a secret from you, didn't he? Well I was put into one of those cells, so was Miriam, Jeremiah and John. That's where you go when you displease your sainted Messenger!"

"No...he wouldn't!" she said, not sure if it could be true. She couldn't imagine Michael incarcerated believers for making a mistake, but, now that she thought about it, where _did_ people go when they disappeared for so long? When they came back they were different, meeker, more obedient...

Jane could see this news had struck a chord with Hannah. He tried again.

"Then Michael dragged us out of our cells and conducted that travesty of a ceremony last night in front of the whole community, supposedly to shame Miriam and I into submission. Is that how a Messiah shows his love Hannah? Is it?"

"But...he does love us...we need to be corrected..." she answered lamely. Somehow Jane's story cast events at Refuge Ranch in a new light. A disturbing light.

"Now I have to hide from him and his goons so that they don't imprison me again, shoot me full of drugs and make me lose my mind." Jane was getting agitated and feverish. She had to believe him!

Hannah could see he was upset and spoke with sincerity. What did all this mean? As crazy as it was, she actually considered whether Michael had really done that horrible thing to this man.

Jane watched her struggle to make sense of his story. If she wouldn't help him, Jane decided to at least help her.

"Hannah, I want to warn you. Believe me or not, I think Michael is going to rape you later today. He wants to meet you later alone. Don't do it!"

"Stop it! Just stop saying those evil things! I almost believed you but now you're saying the most horrible things!" Hannah shouted. Jane needed her to be quiet.

"OK...OK! Don't believe me, but please, be careful OK? If you feel unsafe get away from Michael and find some place safe to stay. Please, at least just do that" Jane relented. If he had been feeling better, he could have hypnotized Hannah into doing as he said, but he lacked the focus and stamina now to do that. She was on her own. Hannah had no words. She had heard more strange things today than at any other time, but she finally shook her head in agreement. She'd be careful.

Jane relaxed a tiny bit and got back to business. "Can you help me now? I need food and something to drink, maybe something for the pain in my head and my foot?"

Hannah was torn between her duty to Michael, and her duty as a nurse to care for this sick man. For once, her compassion overruled her fear of Michael.

"I'll try…" said Hannah.

"While you're out there, can you try to see who's coming here this morning? Let me know what they look like?" continued Jane.

"Why would you care about Michael's guests?" asked Hannah.

"I'm hoping that friends of mine have come and will try to find me" he explained, keeping things simple.

Jane was skating on thin ice. He dared not tell this woman that FBI agents might be here, pretending to be potential disciples.

"Please, just, can you look them over and come back and tell me everything about them?" he begged her.

Hannah was reeling from everything Jane had told her. She couldn't bring herself to believe everything he said though. After all... she had only just met him, but she had been here for over a year and Michael had never touched her, not once!

Jane got up to stretch and get more comfortable. His body, however, had had enough. It finally gave up its fight to remain conscious and upright. As he stood, a wave of blackness passed over him, turning his legs and spine to rubber, while his eyes lost their focus on sweet Hannah. His body hit the floor hard. He was out.

Hannah was first and foremost a nurse and her instincts kicked in. Forgetting that this strange man had accused her Messenger of terrible things, she sprang into action, bending over Jane's prone body. Lifting an eyelid, she shone her pencil light into his pupil. Doing the same with his other eye, she wasn't happy with the result. He had a concussion. Resting her hand on his forehead, she felt a fever there. The man was sick and needed a hospital bed, not discipline, not a stint heaving heavy rocks as a way to be reformed. She stopped at this realization. What exactly did digging up rocks from that field do for Jane and Miriam? Was it to educate them or to intimidate them, punish them, or...torture them?

Hannah couldn't honestly understand Michael's motivation for doing that to Miriam and Jane last night, but now she knew that Jane should never have been subjected to that punishment in his condition. Why would Head Nurse Martha even allow it?

Hannah tried to make her patient more comfortable, balling up an old curtain and placing it under his head. She took his pulse and found his heart racing. In any other situation she would have run for help, but now she thought better of it. What was going on? Nothing made sense anymore. Mr. Jane said he needed help, needed to stay hidden. Hannah stood up and collected her thoughts. For the first time in a long time, she had to make a decision. Heading for the door, she knew what she had to do. It wouldn't be easy, but she had to follow her heart.

(Michael)

Michael strode back to his office, grinning. Once he got rid of his visitors, he would surprise Hannah with her Green uniform. Of course she would have to show him how grateful she was for this leap forward in her spiritual life. Very grateful if he had his way. His penis stiffened at the thought of pinning Hannah down on her bed and taking her virginity.

'So few virgins left these days…' he laughed to himself.

He reached to open his laptop to indulge in viewing his favorite porn site. He was intrigued by what men and women would do in front of a camera. A thought crept into his feral brain. Maybe it was time to start filming his sessions of 'gratitude' to enjoy later, over and over... The phone ringing broke his concentration and he slammed the laptop shut.

"Yes? Good. I'll be waiting in the courtyard" he said. Michael reached under his desk and pushed a button, then stood up to leave.

Glenn had picked up his two visitors and was on his way back to the Ranch. Calvin had been oddly reserved in the car, hardly speaking to Glenn when he handed off the two guests out in the desert of McCarron County. Glenn never liked Calvin so he was just as happy to do all the talking before he turned his car around and drove back to the Ranch.

As soon as they were out of Glenn's sight, the FBI agent popped up from his hiding place and took the wheel from Calvin. Slumped in the backseat now, Calvin was handcuffed to a sturdy metal bar watching the outskirts of Austin get closer and closer, and with that, his date with a jail cell.

Glenn had tried unsuccessfully to make small-talk with his two guests, but gave up when they didn't respond in kind. Fine. If they wanted to stay silent during their long drive to the Ranch it was fine with Glenn. Damned rich hippies! Far behind their jeep, a convoy of FBI vehicles were following Lisbon and Cho as they neared their meeting with The Messenger. The helicopter flew overhead, tracking every movement they made. Michael had no idea that the enemy was quite literally, at the gate.

Michael stood regally in the clearing, wearing his fedora and black suit for maximum effect, his silver tipped walking stick gleaming in harsh sun. The hot breeze ruffled his long hair as he watched Glenn approach in the jeep with the two rich and apparently gullible people aboard.

The jeep pulled up and Glenn helped Lisbon step out of the jeep, followed by Cho.

"Michael, I'd like to introduce Michelle Vega and Jason Wylie. They're very interested in our happy community here" gushed Glenn.

"Michelle, Jason! So good to meet you!" oozed Michael, shaking their proffered hands.

"Nice to meet you Sir" said Lisbon, flirting with the old pervert. He noticed with interest. He would enjoy using her body at some time in the future.

"Please, come this way out of the sun" Michael said, playing the host very well. He indicated the way to the hospital entrance. "Would you like to begin the tour right away or stop for a cool drink first?"

"Oh we would love to see the place first, if you don't mind" said Lisbon. "Calvin spoke very highly of you and what you're doing here at Refuge Ranch" she continued, stroking Michael's ego. Cho smiled tightly and walked after his host.

"How kind of Calvin" replied Michael, leading them through the entrance doors at the hospital.

"Shall we begin here while our community clears up after breakfast?" Michael said. They entered the dull green hallway of the ER department.

"We have the facilities here to provide immediate care for our people" Michael began his practised spiel. "Here are the patient rooms…" he indicated, but was interrupted by Lisbon.

"May I see a room? Just in case, you know, I need to be here some day?"

Michael agreed and walked towards the nearest room at the end of the hallway.

"Of course. Please, take your time. Our facilities are simple but adequate."

Cho and Lisbon entered the room and found it to be very plain indeed, and a bit depressing without windows, but it seemed to be well equipped. Cho lingered by the door, but Lisbon ventured into the bathroom, then returned to Michael.

"Very clean."

"Thank you, our staff is very good" he replied. This was going very well so far.

Lisbon was about to walk towards the door when something unusual caught her eye.

A paper swan sat on the night table. A paper swan like Jane had slipped into her pocket at a crime scene outside a bowling alley not that very long ago! Lisbon picked it up reverently, as if it might disappear in the blink of an eye.

"This… ah… this is very nice" she said, trying to control her emotions. Jane had been here, in this room and had made this swan. Did he make it for her? Was it a sign?

"I'm sure one of our nurses made that" said Michael indifferently. "Shall we continue?" He gestured towards the door and Lisbon reluctantly put the swan back on the table. Cho caught her eye and knew what it meant.

Jane.

Michael headed for the nurses' station to praise their records system. Martha sat there, toad-like, and beamed at his every word.

"This is our Head Nurse Martha, one of my most trusted fellow seekers" he said by way of introduction.

"Hello" Lisbon and Cho said politely. Cho glanced at the workstation and the countertop. His eyes suddenly paused at the discovery of a paper frog. Picking it up, he showed it to Lisbon. They exchanged looks of understanding. Another sign that Jane had been there, in the hospital. Was he still injured? Sick? If so, why wasn't he in a bed? Lisbon took the little frog gently in her hands and her heart broke. Another clue…

"May I keep this?" she asked Michael. "I think...my godson would like it" she lied.

"Of course, please, take it. Our nurses won't mind making another" he agreed readily.

Lisbon pocketed the frog and fingered it like a talisman. 'Where are you Jane?' she wondered.

(The Mining Shack)

Bobbie followed Miriam everywhere she wandered, and after a while, she felt like a puppy was trailing her. She was thirsty and hungry and knew Bobbie had to be as well. She opened the rickety door and stepped out into the blinding sun for the first time since the previous afternoon.

"It's not safe!" Bobbie said, fixated on Jane's instruction to keep this woman safe.

"It's OK Bobbie. I'm just looking around" she assured him. Miriam wandered a short distance away from the shack and raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glowing sun. Far in the distance she could see a cloud of dust. She prayed it meant someone was approaching, not getting farther away. For now, she couldn't do anything but wait to see if help was on the way.

Next, she had to take care of business. It took some persuasion to get Bobbie to look away while she squatted down to pee. He felt it wasn't safe! From that moment onward, she kept an eye on the cloud of dust, hoping it meant good news.

(The Prop Room)

Jane lay on the floor, vaguely aware of hands on his body. As his awareness returned, he jerked himself awake with a start and batted the hands away. If Glenn and Michael intended to inject him with more drugs and lock him up, he wouldn't go without a fight.

"No..no...get off me!" he shouted, panicked and scared.

"Ssshhh!...it's alright Patrick! It's me Hannah! Sssshhh! Be quiet!" a soft voice reassured him.

Jane stilled and opened his eyes. A face swam in and out of focus in his field of vision, red hair against creamy skin.

"Don't take me…" he mumbled, not sure if she had reported him to Michael or Glenn.

"Patrick, you're safe. Relax. I came back with some food, water and a pain pill" she informed him.

Patrick looked around and saw a small sandwich, a glass of water and a pill in Hannah's hand. "It's just for your pain, no sedative or mind altering drugs" she assured him. Jane swallowed the pill and took a long drink of water. With shaking hands he reached for the sandwich. Hannah helped him sit up and lean against a large, heavy box.

"Thanks. You came back" he whispered. Hannah smiled and sat next to him.

"It wasn't an easy decision, but some of what you said got me thinking...and I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Only some of it?" Jane smiled wanly.

"Ok, most of it" she agreed. "I had a bit of a problem finding a sandwich for you and I took the pain pill from my own purse so Martha wouldn't get suspicious" she explained.

"Good thinking" Jane said softly, enjoying each morsel of the sandwich as it rapidly disappeared.

Hannah waited until he had finished his food and water, then told him to lie down again.

"You need to rest Patrick. You have a fever and a concussion. I don't want you to be moved just yet" she started to say, but he interrupted her.

"So don't let Michael find me."

Hannah was moved by this man's plight. She and everyone else had come here voluntarily, at least, she had always thought that was the case, but this man clearly did not and just needed to return to his life outside Refuge Ranch. She could try to make that happen.


	29. Caught

Two for one today. Here's another chapter!

The Messenger

Chapter 29

Caught

"I'll try to be careful, if you promise to rest. I'll go and see if I can meet the visitors, but don't get your hopes up" Hannah warned Jane.

"Thank you. For helping me and listening to me. I'm not lying" he muttered.

"Shush! Just rest. I'll be back as soon as possible with news." Hannah got up and left the room quietly while Jane settled down to wait and see if she was successful. So much rested on her slight shoulders, he just hoped he had not put her in great danger.

Lisbon and Cho were led outside once again and were on their way to the main building when Hannah came outside. Seeing Michael and the two new people, she boldly walked up to them and offered her hand.

"Hello! I heard we were getting visitors! So nice to meet you" she said. "I'm Hannah, and I'm a nurse here at the Ranch."

Lisbon smiled and shook her hand in return, thinking how much this woman reminded her of Grace van Pelt. And if this woman was a nurse, did she know where Jane had been taken?

"Hello, nice to meet you too.. I'm Michelle Vega, and this is Jason Wylie" Lisbon said, turning to Cho. Cho nodded, keeping his hand to himself.

"Can I help you with anything?" Glenn said, getting between Hannah and Lisbon.

Hannah was startled by his sudden appearance, but she stammered out an excuse for being there. "Oh I was just looking for my sweater before I head off to bed, and, I wanted to speak to Michael for a moment" she said a bit too nervously.

"I'm sure Miss Vega and Mr. Wylie would like to get on with their tour Hannah" said Michael, a bit disappointed that she had not followed instructions to ignore the visitors. Everyone had been told at breakfast to keep to themselves. She would have to be disciplined later.

"Time to go!" said Glenn omninously.

"Yes, of course, enjoy your day!" Hannah said brightly before she turned and went back inside the vestibule. Glenn watched her go. He noticed that she hadn't looked for her sweater after all.

Hannah ran back into the auditorium as quickly as she could, repeating the names of the guests to herself so she wouldn't forget them. She bounded up onto the stage and reached for the handle of the small door.

Jane was lying against a box as she entered the prop room, the pain pill allowing him to finally relax a bit.

"Patrick, I did it! I met the visitors!" she whispered with excitement.

"Good work. And?"

"I met them just outside this building and they're a really nice. A Michelle Vega and a Jason Wylie" she said, pleased with her successful spy mission as well.

Jane perked up. 'Michelle Vega...are you sure she said Michelle Vega?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes! Absolutely sure" Hannah told him. "And Jason Wylie."

Michelle Vega was dead. He had liked her very much. Clever Lisbon….He was getting excited now too.

"What did these people look like?" he asked.

"Michelle had long dark hair and is very pretty, and Jason is Asian, maybe Korean" Hannah surmised.

Cho and Lisbon! Here! Outside!

"Hannah, thank you so much. They're my friends. I need you to get a message to them. Do you think you could do that without getting caught?" Jane asked her. If he had been able to run, he would already be outside shouting their names.

"I can try, but Glenn warned me to go away" she said. "What do you want me to do?"

Jane grabbed an old scrap of paper and busily scrawled a message on it. Folding it up into a tiny square, he handed it to Hannah.

"Just try to hand this to either the woman or the man. That's all you have to do" he said.

Hannah nodded and held the paper tightly. "Ok. I'll be right back."

"Be careful! And safe!" Jane whispered.

Hannah grabbed the doorknob. "I will", and then she was gone.

Jane lay back and grinned with optimism for the first time in a long time, thrilled to know Cho and Lisbon were just outside his hiding place. A moment later the door opened again and Jane looked up. He was going to ask Hannah what she'd forgotten, but instead he stared into the surprised eyes of Glenn. Hannah was struggling to get away from his vise-like grip on her slender arm.

"Hello Thomas" he said, slamming the door behind him.

(Cho and Lisbon)

Michael guided Lisbon and Cho into the main building's vestibule and explained the purpose of the large building. A few disciples walked by and smiled for the guests but they didn't stop to speak.

Lisbon turned towards the doors leading to the auditorium. "What's in here?" she asked, batting her eyes at Michael. He was very intrigued by this beautiful woman. He wondered how easily she could be converted and 'promoted'?

"This is where we meet daily, every afternoon, for discussions, lectures, prayers. It's the main gathering place and the soul of our little community. Please...go in and see for yourselves" Michael smiled, the genial host.

Cho and Lisbon pulled open the doors and stepped into the musty space. The dark burgundy drapes and dim lighting made Lisbon feel sad just to be there. At the front of the room was a small stage, backed by a wall of heavy curtains. It was a dismal, depressing place and Lisbon couldn't imagine spending time there unless it was absolutely necessary. She wanted to leave and keep looking around the compound. Just as she was about to walk back out of the room, a shout arose from somewhere behind her, around the stage. Cho heard it too. It was a woman's voice, and sounded frightened. A moment later Michael's phone beeped with a text. Lisbon and Cho turned towards the stage but were stopped by Michael.

"It seems that one of our ladies has found a little nest of mice behind the stage. Shall we leave and send someone in to help her?" suggested Michael nervously. Glenn had texted him with the news that Jane had been found in the prop room with that traitorous Hannah!

Lisbon and Cho wanted to investigate but couldn't get away from their host without blowing their cover. Cho decided to take a chance anyway.

He strode down the aisle and was mounting the steps to the stage before Michael could stop him. Lisbon stepped in to help.

"He's great with mice, helps me all the time" she said brightly, determined to impede Michael.

"That's not necessary Mr. Wylie! Come back!" called Michael, fearing their secrets were about to be exposed. Cho ignored him and reached the back of the stage. Grabbing the curtain, he pulled it aside and found the small door.

"Stop!" yelled Michael.

Lisbon ran down the aisle towards Cho ignoring Michael's protestations. Cho pushed the door open and gazed around the small room. Boxes and gadgets and litter were everywhere, but the room was otherwise empty. Stepping in further, he spotted fresh bread crumbs on a balled up curtain, which was spread out on the floor like a sleeping bag. A small folded square of paper lay next to it, half opened.

Cho reached down to pick it up just as Lisbon and Michael burst into the room. Cho discreetly pocketed the paper and turned to Michael.

"No wonder you have mice. Someone's been eating in here!"

Michael quickly surveyed the room, relieved that Glenn had hustled Jane and Hannah out of there by a back door unnoticed by the visitors.

"Ah...yes...our people do like to have a snack in here from time to time. Please, come with me for the rest of the tour" he said, pointing back towards the auditorium.

Cho and Lisbon snuck a quick peek at each other and Cho nodded his head. He had something. When they reached the vestibule again, Cho took matters into his own hands.

"Is there a men's room I can use before we continue? It was a long drive out here" he smiled.

"Certainly, I'll show you" said Michael, happy to get them both far away from any evidence of Jane's presence.

Cho found the men's room a few minutes later and quickly opened the small square of paper. It was Jane's note to them, telling them he was there in the prop room and needed help. Cho put the note in his shoe and spoke into his mike to those listening at the gate.

"Jane's here Dennis, very close. He knows we're here and tried to contact us. At my signal, come in!"

The gate was locked with the keypad and somehow Cho would have to figure out how to get it opened to let the other agents in with their vehicles. But first, he had to get back to Lisbon. Cho rejoined Lisbon and Michael. Lisbon knew something important had just happened judging from Cho's stony expression.

"Can we just wander around, get a feel for the place?" asked Cho suddenly, turning to The Messenger. Lisbon picked up on his tactic.

"Yes, we understand that you're busy. We can walk around and enjoy the Ranch ourselves. If we have any questions, we'll find you" she said with a big smile.

Michael needed these two people, or rather, he needed their vast wealth. He didn't want them snooping around alone but he needed to go and find Glenn to find out what the hell was going on.

"Good idea! I'm needed urgently at the moment" he said. "I'll have Martha accompany you if you don't mind. She's been here the longest and can answer any questions you may have about our life here" he smiled back.

It was the best Cho and Lisbon could manage so they agreed readily.

"Please wait here and I'll tell her to come and join us" he added, sending a text to Martha. Only a handful of people at the Ranch had the use of a cell phone. Everyone else was completely cut off from the outside world.

While he texted Martha, Cho took Lisbon by the arm and led her away a few feet as if to check out the garden.

"He's here...I found a note that he wanted to get to us" Cho whispered.

"Was he in that room?" asked Lisbon quickly, keeping an eye on Michael's back.

"Yes, but someone took him away. That's the disturbance we heard in there. We have to find him as soon as possible" finished Cho as Michael returned to them.

A sturdy woman strode out of the ER entrance and made a beeline for the visitors and Michael.

"Hello again!" she smiled. "How are you enjoying our Ranch life?" Martha asked them while Michael studied his phone again.

"We're very impressed so far, aren't we honey?" said Lisbon, squeezing Cho's arm.

"Yes we are sweetie" answered Cho, playing along. Michael said his goodbyes and hustled of, not towards the main building, but around the back of it, then disappeared in a hurry.

'So that's where they have Jane' thought Lisbon, watching him go.

"Shall we?" said Martha, indicating the far end of the compound leading away from Michael and his henchman.

"Thank you, but we want to go over there" said Lisbon, indicating the direction Michael had taken. She held Cho's hand, giving it a squeeze so he would play along. Jane's time was running out and she had to get to him! Martha would be no match for Cho and Lisbon as they began planning how to dispose of her and get away quickly. They started to run with Martha babbling in confusion behind them. They were going the wrong way!


	30. In The Hands Of The Enemy

I'm excited to get the finale of the story up so here's another chapter to wet your appetite. More chapters to come soon.

The Messenger

Chapter 30

In The Hands Of The Enemy

(Glenn and Jane)

Jane and Hannah had been dragged out through a small back door in the prop room, a door that Jane had not noticed and Hannah knew nothing about. When Glenn pulled a gun on them Hannah had let out a small scream of fear, alerting Cho and Lisbon of their presence.

While Hannah helped Jane get up on Glenn's orders, she let the small folded square of paper fall from her palm unnoticed by the goon. In just moments all three of them were gone. Hannah held Jane up and moved forward as quickly as she could with Glenn's gun poking into her shoulder blade.

"Michael will be so disappointed in you Hannah" he sneered. "Helping this piece of garbage instead of doing your duty and reporting Thomas to Michael!"

Hannah's entire world had collapsed in the last 24 hours. Any semblance of order and peace had been shattered when she watched Michael torment this sick, innocent man beside her, and Glenn, well he had revealed himself to be a thug, nothing more. They were forced away from the auditorium quickly by Glenn, arriving at a long corridor that led to the back of the compound. A surge of anger welled up inside Hannah and she regained the feisty spirit she had once possessed in the outside world.

She stopped suddenly, furious with Michael and Glenn, furious that a gun was pointed at her back. Poor Mr. Jane was telling the truth all along and she was done being played for a fool.

"This is all your fault!" she shouted at Glenn. "I found Thomas this morning and knew Michael was looking for him!"

"Nice try Hannah. So why didn't you report Thomas instead of feeding him? Huh?"

Jane was surprised at the sudden surge of courage in Hannah against an armed man. Brave girl.

"Well if you hadn't stopped me I would have done my duty and told Michael."

"Bullshit! I didn't stop you!" he barked. Hannah had to think fast to make this work.

"Oh no? Then why did I leave Thomas, come outside and find Michael and try to talk to him, hmmm? I had to interrupt him and say 'hello' to those visitors so they wouldn't get suspicious, but you! You stopped me from speaking to Michael. You told me to go away!"

Jane picked up her narrative, helping her story gain traction while Glenn continued to drag them forward. Jane turned on Hannah and barked at her.

"You betrayed me Hannah! I trusted you!" he said, looking broken-hearted at her betrayal.

"You said you'd help me escape, but you went to Michael instead!" he spat out theatrically, fighting against Glenn's beefy grip. Hannah stepped closer to Jane, a finger pointed accusingly at him, and played along.

"You were the fool to think I'd betray The Messenger to help you instead!" Hannah hissed at Jane. She turned back to face Glenn and continued her fabrication.

" I tried again. I was on my way out to speak to Michael a second time when you grabbed me and almost broke my arm!" she shouted at him. "I was going to tell Michael everything. Thomas could have been in a cell by now if you hadn't gotten in the way!" she yelled.

Glenn studied her red and angry face, knowing that what she said made sense. Hannah was right. Everything happened exactly as she had pointed out. "So do I get to go to bed now or are you going to make up more lies about me?" she said defiantly, seeing the indecision in Glenn's eyes.

"Watch yourself woman!" snapped Glenn, realizing Hannah was now making him look like a fool.

"You watch yourself! I have a meeting with Michael as soon as the visitors leave. Should I mention this conversation to him or do you just want to get back to your job?" Hannah warned Glenn sarcastically. Jane studied her with amazement. What a good actress!

Hannah's heart was racing and her palms were soaking wet with fear. Where had this bravery come from? Glenn studied her and realized his accusations against Hannah would look lame. Michael had been there and had seen what happened himself.

"Go!" barked Glenn, releasing Hannah's bruised arm, then he grabbed Jane and pushed him forward, leaving Hannah behind, trembling at almost becoming a prisoner herself. Mr. Jane had told her nothing but the truth and now she knew that her life was a lie. A final dagger in her heart was knowing that Jane had helped her look innocent for Glenn, helping her go free while he, himself was now back in the grip of his enemy. He was a better man than she could have imagined. One lie led to another and another. Once you began there was no end to it.

Hannah had no choice but to run off, leaving Jane at Glenn's mercy. She made her way back to the front of the main building in the compound, desperate to speak to the guests about Jane and save him. Martha was busy chattering on about the wonderful life at Refuge Ranch all the while trying to keep up with Cho and Lisbon, when Hannah bolted out of the main building and ran towards them.

"Stop! Mr. Jane needs you!" she panted in desperation, throwing caution to the wind.

"Hannah! Be quiet and go back to your dorm!" ordered Martha, shocked at her outburst. "And stay there until I come and speak with you about your rudeness!"

"Oh shut up!" shouted Hannah, defying Martha yet again. "Please! Glenn took him out towards the back of the compound!"

Cho turned to Martha, holding out his FBI ID badge. All pretense had now been dropped and it was go time.

"I need you to open the main gate to the Ranch" he commanded her.

The older woman's jaw was hanging open in shock. "What's going on? Who are you people? How dare you speak to me like this!" she blithered.

Flashing her FBI badge in Martha's uncomprehending face, Lisbon barked at her.

"The gate! Open it! Unless you want to be arrested for aiding and abetting a criminal, I suggest you do as you're told" she instructed the confused woman.

"But...Michael…" Martha sputtered as Lisbon took her by the arm and started to walk away.

"Cho, go with Hannah and find Jane! I'll catch up with you!" she shouted. Martha protested and threw warnings at Lisbon about what Michael would do to them for their attack on her.

"We're agents with the FBI. You can do this WITH handcuffs or without" Lisbon said as she marched Martha towards the hospital. Cho took off running with Hannah providing direction. Abbott and his team mates were listening to every word being said and readied themselves to barge through the gate. Martha led Lisbon to the ER entrance and showed her the way to the private tunnel used exclusively by Michael.

"The gate! Where's the release button?" Lisbon yelled at her reluctant companion as they ran down the tunnel towards Michael's private quarters.

Martha showed her the office that Michael had kept so secret from his followers. Once inside, Lisbon was shown the button and forced Martha to hit it, releasing the locking mechanism on the front gate. Out in the desert the waiting FBI agents assembled at the entrance to the Ranch heard the gate click open. A moment later the convoy of SUV's drove through the gate and sped up the half-mile long laneway to the compound.

Lisbon turned to Martha and took her wrist in her hand, cuffing it to the front leg of Michael's heavy desk.

"Mr. Jane is a Federal Agent being held against his will by Michael" she explained. "We're here to set him free. An agent will be in soon, so sit down and relax. We'll deal with you later!" she warned Martha.

"But how...why…?"stammered Martha, completely confused by this turn of events. She fought against the handcuffs and started to cry. She had never questioned Michael or his orders. She was so completely devoted to him she had turned a blind eye to his demands that she add sedatives to her patient's food and drink, drugging them unnecessarily. She had failed in her duty to help her patients, not harm them. In time, she would face her own criminal charges.

"I need you to assemble the community in the auditorium right now and keep them there" ordered Lisbon, reaching for her hidden gun. Martha's eyes grew as large as saucers. This was getting very real, very quickly.

"But I can't without Michael's order…" she began to explain to Lisbon. Lisbon had had enough.

"As a Federal Agent I am instructing you to co-operate. Other agents will be here soon to take over. I suggest you do as I say unless you want to face charges of obstruction" barked Lisbon, desperate to run after Cho.

"Yes Ma'am!" said Martha, finally afraid of this fierce small woman. She turned and pointed to a buzzer on the wall by the door. Lisbon rang it, setting off an alarm. Within minutes people came running from every corner of the compound. By the time senior disciples were herding them into the auditorium, Abbott and many other agents in several SUV's had roared into the courtyard.

Taking command, Abbott assigned three agents to keep watch over the roomful of anxious and confused disciples, their bulletproof vests and guns hugely intimidating . Two other agents were sent to search for weapons. That done, Dennis was free to join Lisbon as she ran after Cho and Hannah.

(Michael)

When he left Martha to babysit the visitors, Michael ran to the garage to get into the van as quickly as possible. Still blissfully unaware of the turn of events back at the main compound, he backed out and drove around the buildings to a pre-arranged pick-up spot where he would meet Glenn and that shithead Jane.

Glenn dragged Jane along as fast as he could go, finally reaching the end of the corridor leading to a door facing the back of the compound. Opening the door a crack, he looked out while keeping Jane in a headlock. He needn't have bothered the strong-arm tactics. Jane didn't have much fight left in him anymore. At least Hannah had escaped, and maybe made contact with Lisbon, thought Jane. He had to be hopeful.

Glenn pulled Jane through the door and into the sunshine. The van was idling by the back door with the side door opened fully. Glenn threw Jane into the van and tied his hands with rope to a hole in the inside door panel, then ran to the passenger seat. The alarm began to blare, causing Michael to look at Glenn in confusion.

"Don't look at me" Glenn said sarcastically. "Martha's your problem."

"Damned stupid woman, always panicking over every little thing. I'll deal with her later" Michael muttered, throwing the van into 'Drive'.

"Where to?" Glenn asked Michael.

"Out there" Michael said cryptically, jamming his foot on the gas pedal and lunging forward. He aimed the van away from the last building, his devotees and meddling Martha. He had no idea he was also driving away from a large contingent of FBI agents.

"What are we going to do with him Boss?" Glenn asked, indicating Jane jostling around in the back of the van.

"He's a pain in the ass...we can't let him go and I don't think we'll ever break him. He needs to disappear" admitted Michael as the van kicked up clouds of dust. Whatever money Calvin thought Jane would bring to Michael's bank account wasn't worth the trouble this guy had made for Refuge Ranch.

(Abbott)

Abbott called for an SUV to be driven up to meet him, Lisbon and Cho. He took off running with Lisbon, searching for his agent and Hannah. Rounding a corner, he saw Cho with the young woman.

"This is Hannah, Dennis. She was helping Jane until he was discovered. She saw where Glenn was taking him" Cho quickly explained.

"How is he, can Jane run?" Abbott asked the young woman.

"No" she said, shaking her head. "He's sick and has a badly injured ankle, plus a concussion. He can't get away on his own" she explained.

Abbott listened attentively and was worried that the odds were stacking up against his friend too quickly. "Ok...thanks. Please go back to the main courtyard and identify yourself to the agent in charge. Tell him Abbott and Lisbon sent you."

"Stay close to the agents and be safe!" Lisbon added.

"Please let me stay and help. I owe that to Mr. Jane" Hannah begged, but Abbott wouldn't hear of it. She was a civilian and had done enough to help his consultant. He told her to go and assist the other agents any way she could, and finally, reluctantly, she left.

Cho's head start looking for Michael and Glenn had led him to the corridor Glenn had dragged Jane down. Now he and the other agents raced down it to the back door, opening it just in time to see the van speeding away far in the distance. They were sure both men were inside, and most assuredly Jane was their prisoner. Abbott's SUV pulled up in a cloud of dust while Cho called for more backup. They were soon joined by more agents in another SUV. They drove out of the compound in pursuit of the van, following the rapidly disappearing cloud of dust on the horizon. Overhead, a helicopter tracked the van and gave its location to the agents driving far below.

(The Desert)

Miriam and Bobbie stood in the middle of the road. She was waving her arms over her head as a vehicle approached. The SUV slammed on the brakes and skidded to a halt when the driver was surprised by the sudden appearance of a woman and a man standing in the middle of the desert! Miriam ran to the driver's window and knocked against it.

"Please! Help me!" she pleaded. Bobbie hovered beside her, eyeing the vehicle with concern, worried for her safety.

"We're the FBI Ma'am, are you from Refuge Ranch?" asked the agent in charge.

"Yes. Mr. Jane got me out last night with this man" she said, pointing to Bobbie. "He's still trapped at the Ranch somewhere. Can I come with you?" she begged.

Not wanting to leave her in the desert, the agents made room in the vehicle and she and Bobbie got into the crowded backseat.

"Sir? Sir? What's your name" asked the agent beside Miriam asked Bobbie.

Bobbie looked away. He wasn't going to talk to this guy.

"Mr. Jane hypnotised Bobbie. He's a bit of a robot at the moment but harmless as long as the trance holds" explained Miriam. "He's one of Michael's men, so you have to be careful around him" she warned.

"O...K…" answered the agent, perplexed but not in a position to question her story right now. They had all heard of Jane's unorthodox methods back at the office. They drove on until they hit the fence line outside the Ranch.

"Stay here until the police come for you" barked an agent. "I've radioed the McCarron County Sheriff's office and an officer is on his way to pick both of you up soon" he explained to a disappointed Miriam.

"Ok. Please, find Mr. Jane!" she begged the agents.

Bobbie and Miriam stood by the fence that had been such an obstacle to them the night before. Today, the gate was wide open. What on earth was going on?


	31. The Chase

Well Friday is here, there's a lot going on in the world, so I thought I publish a new chapter before the weekend and get on with my day. Enjoy!

The Messenger

Chapter 31

The Chase

(The Chase)

Michael drove like a maniac, bouncing over the lumpy vegetation as he made his way to his destination. A plan had taken shape in his mind. If he was successful he would drive out of the desert again to resume his life as the Messiah to his deluded little flock. Just one man, Jane, couldn't ruin his wonderful gig. After all, he had two rich idiots touring the compound right at this very moment. He could almost feel their money in his sweaty palms. Five or six miles out, Michael veered wildly off his current path and headed over to the oil pit he had sent Glenn out to the night before.

Several of his devotees had managed to pull the wreck of the jeep out of the hole and dragged it behind their van, back to the garage to be stripped and sold for parts. Now the hole was wide open and very dangerous. Glenn saw the pit on the horizon and smiled at the realization that their pain in the ass 'Thomas' would soon be out of the way. Michael drove as fast as he could, dodging cacti and tumbleweeds in his haste to reach his destination. Soon his aggravating hostage would just be a footnote in his pursuit of riches and control. He'd made a life out of cheating trusting rubes, and this was the best con ever. He couldn't help but smile as he drove the dusty van to the edge of the pit. The vehicle stopped abruptly, sending Jane crashing against the back of Glenn's seat, eliciting a snicker of glee from the thug. Glenn and Michael got out and pulled the sliding door open. This was it, and Jane knew his chances of getting away had come to an end. He couldn't fight both Glenn and Michael and their guns, but he tried to slow them down at least. Jane kicked with his good foot and fought Glenn with as much effort as he could muster to keep him away, but eventually Glenn got Jane untied and dragged him out of the van and dumped him on the desert floor.

Overhead the FBI pilot in the helicopter transmitted Michael's location to Cho and the others.

"They seem to be at some kind of derelict oil drilling site. The earth is pretty torn up and it appears there's a large open pit of some kind on site" said the agent, looking down.

"Can you see our man with the two suspects?" asked Abbott.

"I see the subjects and a man who's on the ground. He appears to be injured" replied the dispassionate pilot.

"Got it!" snapped Abbott. The FBI driver pushed the SUV to the limit bouncing over the rough terrain to reach the pit.

Glenn grabbed Jane and pulled him upright, twisting his arm tightly behind his back.

"So...Mr. Patrick Jane...of the FBI" said Michael, standing in front of him with a smirk. "You've led us on quite the wild goose chase" he grinned.

Jane smiled back, cocky to the end. "Thank you. I do what I can."

Glenn knocked Jane down and kicked him in the gut for being a smartass. Jane curled in on himself in pain, but they had stopped moving towards the edge of the pit, so it was worth the attack.

Michael stood over Jane and bent down to speak into his face. "Tell me. Where's Miriam and Bobbie, hmmm?"

"You're the magic man. Look in your crystal balls and see where they went" Jane wheezed as he tried to catch his breath.

"Answer the man!" shouted Glenn, kicking Jane again.

Jane cried out when the booted foot hit his back. Dammit that hurt!

"You were saying?" continued Michael evenly, now totally in control of the situation.

Jane lay panting on the ground, nausea rising up his gullet from the pain of the kick to his midsection. He stared up at Michael and only saw a power hungry, intellectually stunted conman. He couldn't help himself, he had to respond.

"I wasn't saying anything Mickey, or Mikey, or Michael, or whatever the hell your name really is" he snapped.

Michael straightened up and put his hands in his pockets, thinking. This guy sure had balls, he had to give him that. But big balls or not, he would soon be a ghost, his dust blowing away on the wind.

"Do I need to have Glenn re-educate you Mr. Jane?" Michael said, glaring at the man lying in the dust.

"Wouldn't work on me Mickey" said Jane, trying to push Michael's buttons and stall for time. 'Cho, Lisbon, where are you?' Jane thought desperately.

"Tell me where Bobbie and my lovely Miriam are hiding. It will go much easier for you if you tell me" said Michael softly.

Jane got a fit of the giggles, thinking of big man Bobbie placidly taking his orders to protect Miriam. And talking would not make his imminent death go away, but he would enjoy rubbing Michael's nose in his failures before that happened.

"I turned Bobbie into a zombie. It was so easy. The man's mind is mush. By the time I got through with him he was eating out of my hand" Jane laughed. Michael had no idea what the hell Jane was talking about . Bobbie? A zombie?

"And Miriam?" Glenn shouted at him, raising his fist to land a blow if Jane didn't give the right answer.

"Ah yes...Miriam. She's a very brave woman. I would guess she's far away by now, far outside the fence. Probably in Austin with her family. She finally figured out you were a phony Michael. Raping her wasn't the best way to convince her of your sainthood" Jane stated, glaring at Michael with hatred. Glenn's fist connected with his jaw.

Michael wasn't buying his preposterous story. There was no way Bobbie would let Miriam escape. No way Jane had done something to his right hand man. Bobbie had to be hiding Miriam somewhere on the property. This asshole Jane was just wasting his time with fantastic stories. At a signal from Michael, Glenn loomed menacingly over Jane. Time to dispose of this jerk.

"Get up!"

The FBI raced towards the oil pit directed by the pilot and agents in the helicopter. They were going to land and rescue Jane on Abbott's command.

"Get ready to go in for Jane boys!" said Abbott, the van from the compound coming into view ahead.

Jane made no attempt to get up. He was tired and hurting badly. Whatever Michael and Glenn had planned for him he wouldn't make it easy for them. Besides, he was looking up into the sky at the lovely FBI chopper high overhead. So far Glenn and Michael hadn't paid attention to the sound of the incoming chopper, but that would soon change.

"Get up I said" barked Glenn, pulling a gun out of the back of his pants.

Jane curled up tighter. "No...don't want to. It's nice down here" he whined, risking being shot on the spot.

Glenn was infuriated by this weird guy. Couldn't he just die like everybody else? Finally he reached down and grabbed Jane by the shirt and dragged him upright.

"Walk!" he ordered him. Jane had to stall a bit longer.

"Can't. My foot is broken, thanks to you morons" sassed Jane, hearing the chopper drop lower in the sky. He was well and truly getting scared now.

The FBI SUV drove straight for the van and the agents readied themselves to exit the vehicle in their bullet-proof vests. Lisbon and Cho were straining to see Jane somewhere on the other side of the parked van.

Glenn grabbed Jane's arm and pulled him upwards towards the edge of the black pit. Jane eyed the vast chasm in front of him and tried to pull away from Glenn's steely grip. Get shot or get thrown into a bottomless pit of sticky oil residue. Wonderful choice.

"This look familiar?" Michael said softly to Glenn's struggling prisoner. "That was a good trick with the jeep. You almost had us fooled last night Mr. Jane" he admitted. "Anybody could have been fooled into believing you had died down there" Michael said, pointing to the yawning hole in the earth.

"Too bad there were no bodies under the jeep to really be convincing."

"I had little time to prepare" Jane shrugged. A sudden gust of wind blew the sand up into their faces, causing Michael and Glenn to turn away from the gritty blast. The chopper blades churned up the dusty desert surface, giving the agents on the ground a chance to lunge forward towards Jane and his captors.

The chopper suddenly loomed close to the earth with a deafening roar on the far side of the pit, finally setting down lightly. The suddenness of the assault both shocked and scared the hell out of Glenn and Michael. Agents were scrambling all around them like ants at a picnic. Soon they were surrounded.

Abbott, Cho, Lisbon and the FBI agent driving the SUV stood a short distance from the pit with their guns drawn.

"Drop your weapons and hit the ground!" shouted Abbott.

The crew from the helicopter raced over to the other side of the pit, their weapons drawn and aimed at Michael and Glenn.

"Hello fellas" said Jane weakly, his bravado almost all used up. "About time you got here!"

Seeing no escape, Glenn put his gun against Jane's head, his brain seizing up in fear. He was out of control. None of this was supposed to happen. This was supposed to be an easy gig. Shit, shit, shit…

Jane was hanging on Glenn's arm, his feet dangerously close to the edge of the pit, the gun against his head tipping him forward precariously.

"Ok, here's what's going to happen" Glenn yelled. "You're going to put the pilot back into the chopper and let me fly outta here with this smartass, or else he gets a bullet in the brain, got it?" he screamed in desperation.

"Whoa whoa whoa.." said Abbott, raising his hands in a conciliatory manner. "Then what? Where would you go?" he asked calmly while Cho edged away from the group of agents farthest away from Abbott and Lisbon.

Glenn was panicking, overwhelmed by this turn of events. He focussed on Abbott, clearly the man in charge. As for Michael, he was cowering in a tight ball, terrified by the firepower aimed at him, the coward.

"Then I go wherever I want. Jane here comes with me as insurance. You'll back off, all of you or so help me God I'll blow his fucking brains out and throw him in the pit!" Glenn screamed. Jane was limp, his one good leg starting to shake from stress.

"Ah guys...maybe being shot in the head isn't the best outcome for me" said Jane, worried about Glenn's unpredictability.

"Shut up!" bellowed Glenn, completely sick of this asshole.

Cho edged farther away from the other agents and was now almost out of Glenn's line of sight. Jane noticed and decided to keep talking to give Cho a chance to get into position, for what, he didn't know.

"Abbott, all things considered, I think Glenn's plan has merit" Jane said conversationally, but his wavering voice betrayed his fright. He finally allowed himself to make eye contact with Lisbon, who was holding her gun in shaking hands. Her clenched jaw and pinched expression spoke volumes about her anxiety. Her eyes bore into his, saying more than words ever could.

Don't die Jane.

Please don't die Jane.

Jane wanted her to be anywhere but here, now. She was keeping it all together so far, but he didn't want her to see this standoff end badly. He couldn't let that happen with her as a witness. With every fibre in his body, he loved her.


	32. Going Going Gone

What a strange and weird weekend this has been in the world. We're living through historic times my friends. Anyway, a chapter was ready to go so what the heck, here it is.

The Messenger

Chapter 32

Going, Going, Gone

Jane tore his eyes away from Lisbon to continue his little speech, hoping to confuse Glenn and unhinge Michael. It was all about stalling for precious time.

"You should listen to him Abbott. After all, Glenn hasn't killed anyone, at least I don't think so, not like Michael here" he said.

Michael's head shot up. 'What the fuck did he just say?'

"I didn't kill anyone! This fucker is lying. I'm a holy man, a Messenger of God" Michael protested, finally standing up.

"Ooo such language for a messenger of the Lord" chided Jane, taking control of the situation, trying to keep attention off Cho.

Cho silently moved closer to his intended target.

"Let's see. If you didn't kill anyone, how do you explain your presence at the spot where poor Walter Carruthers' body was found dumped in the desert?" Jane stated.

"You're lying. Who's Walter Carruthers? I don't know anyone by that name!" Michael insisted.

Jane smiled cautiously. This just might work. "That's odd because several of your loyal disciples remember him distinctly when he came to the Ranch last week. For whatever reason, things didn't go so well and poor Wally died because he came to Refuge Ranch. What was it Mickey? Too many drugs in his mac and cheese? Did he flip out and go crazy when you isolated him in a Re-education room?" guessed Jane.

"You're crazy!" shouted Michael, hearing the truth exposed to all present.

Jane had to get the story out for Abbott and the other agents to hear, in case he didn't live long enough to tell it another day. He had to risk revealing what he had finally figured out about their dead victim.

"You see, Walter Carruthers was ex-military, did some pretty brutal tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. You don't come away from that unscathed" Jane continued. "Carruthers just wanted peace and quiet in his life, to keep the demons away. That's why he came to the Ranch, to experience the peace and quiet Calvin promised him. He needed to keep the night terrors that come with PTSD away" he said, imagining the poor man freaking out when Michael locked him up to indoctrinate him.

"But you imprisoned him in a cell, took away his clothing, his freedom, sending him into a meltdown. He got no food or water for days. Ring a bell Michael?" Jane said, feeling the gun press deeply into his scalp. Glenn was distracted by his story but still held his life in his hands.

Michael became still, remembering Walter's wails of terror as he relived his days in Iraq.

"Walter Carruthers was suffering from PTSD. Normally his well-ordered life kept it under control, but you took that control away from him Michael. Instead of a peaceful religious retreat, you put him back into the hell of war" said Jane with disgust.

"Shut up! It didn't happen like that!" screamed Michael.

Cho crept closer, his gun fixed on his quivering target, Glenn.

"It happened exactly like that. I should know, you tried the same techniques on me Michael, with about the same level of success" Jane added with sarcasm.

"Then, you went too far. You filled Walter up with too many sedatives, which I'm sure the coroner has found in his body by now, and you drove him out into the desert, where he couldn't survive without food or water. He was already dehydrated and disoriented. It was so easy to get rid of him. You dumped him there and just walked away, waiting for him to die."

"No! You lie!" said Michael, staring at all of the guns aimed at him. Jane revealed the proof that would destroy Michael, finally.

"I found a button Michael. A bright blue button that got ripped off your shirt when you and Bobbie or Glenn dumped Walter in the desert in McCarron County. A button Michael. It proves you were there where he died. If the FBI goes to your closet right now they'll find your shirt with the missing button" Jane finished.

Abbott and Lisbon smiled at Jane. He had solved the case for them. Now they had to save him.

"Enough talking! That was Bobbie, not me!" spouted Glenn. "I never dumped Carruthers in the desert. That was all on you Michael!" he accused his boss.

Cho's Glock was fixed on Glenn's gun arm. If only he wouldn't keep moving so erratically he could get off a shot and end this standoff.

"Drop the gun Glenn!" he shouted. Glenn froze. Where was that voice coming from?

"Drop the gun or you'll be dead before you can pull the trigger!"

Jane spoke up on his own behalf. "I'd listen to him Glenn if I was you. He's the best marksman in the FBI."

Glenn ground the gun into Jane's head, his grip loosening as his hand became slick with sweat.

"If I go, he goes!" he yelled desperately, pushing Jane closer to the edge of the pit. "Get me that pilot and start the chopper - NOW!" he screamed.

Abbott had to stop Glenn before Jane went over the edge and died. At a signal from Abbott, the pilot walked back to the helicopter and started the rotors. Glenn relaxed fractionally as he saw the blades turning. He was going to get away! This would work! He took one step towards the chopper with Jane in his arms when Michael suddenly lunged for the Glenn's gun in a panic. He wasn't going to go down for the death of Carruthers! Glenn jerked his hand away from Michael as a shot rang out. In a blur of motion, everyone was suddenly running towards the men fighting on the edge of the black gorge.

In the chaos, Jane's limp body slumped to the ground at the edge of the pit, then, rolled out of sight.

"Nooooo! Jane!" Lisbon screamed, running towards the black hole in the earth as Glenn and Michael fought for possession of the gun. Cho and the other agents ran to the edge of the pit, some to subdue the two fighting men, Cho and the others to search for Jane.

30 feet down, Jane lay on the fragile web of accumulated detritus from the desert that had fallen into the hole ever since the oil derricks had been dismantled and taken away years before. He lay spread-eagle on the grey, spongy surface of the vegetation, unconscious. Glenn's gun had gone off and a bullet grazed his skull. He was deathly still.

At the edge of the pit Glenn and Michael fought each other and the Federal agents until they had been subdued. In minutes they were handcuffed before being led away to waiting FBI vehicles. Cho bolted for the helicopter to rummage around for a rappelling kit which he knew would be onboard. His military training kicked in and he took control of Jane's rescue.

"Should we get the chopper up in the air to make a rescue from there? Drop a line down?" shouted Abbott.

"No, too windy. Jane'll be blown down to the bottom of the pit" Cho answered quickly while wrapping the ropes around his body. He ran back to the edge of the pit and barked out instructions.

Get more rope!

Run it across the pit!

Secure it to anything that will hold a lot of weight! The Chopper, cars, anything!

"Tie my rope to the van!" he shouted quickly.

Jane's body was slowly sinking into the soft nest of dead vegetation. If left long enough, he would sink through and fall to the bottom of the pit to a certain death. Lisbon hovered at the edge of the pit on her knees, terrified. Jane was there! Right there! And she couldn't get to him! Clutching her gold cross she fell into a prayer of supplication as she willed the man she loved to stay still until Cho could drop down into the abyss. Cho ran to the edge of the pit and climbed over the edge while two other agents got a carrier basket out of the chopper for Jane's body.

"Let me down!" Cho yelled, as multiple agents lowered him down into the slick gorge as quickly as they dared. Flashlights clicked on to show him the way as he rappelled down closer to his friend. As he neared Jane's body he realized he could actually cause him to fall farther. He couldn't put any weight on the "nest" or it would cave in, taking Jane with it.

"Get a long rope and attach it with a loop to the one over the pit!" he yelled to the men assembled above. Two agents sprang into action and attached another rope to the one bisecting the chasm.

"Throw it down to me" instructed Cho as the men readied the second rope. The rope sailed through the air and was caught in Cho's tight grip. He shimmied down the sticky wall a bit further then leapt into space, using the second rope to swing out and over Jane directly below. . Cho was lowered closer to Jane, holding the extra rope in his hands. Now he was in position, he could reach his friend. Jane had sunk further into the soft pile of dry weeds. Cho leaned down, almost upside down and gently worked to attach the free end of the rope around Jane's body. As he worked, he disturbed the nest of vegetation and Jane sank more quickly until just his shoulders, head and lower legs remained above the crumbling canopy. In moments he would sink below the surface and be gone.

"Hurry Cho hurry! He's falling!" screamed Lisbon. Abbott was frozen to the spot in fear. His man was going to die if Cho couldn't tie off the rope in time.


	33. Hello!

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to write their comments and reviews. I also want to especially thank all the new readers and guest reviewers for giving me their feedback. You know who you are and thank you very much! I'm glad you like this story so much. It isn't done just yet, a few more chapters to go!

The Messenger

Chapter 33

Hello!

Lisbon couldn't look any longer. Jane was disappearing silently right in front of her and there was nothing she could do. If God was listening, now would be the time to lend a hand. Cho's fingers tied knots as quickly as possible into the rope he had secured around Jane's torso, but his friend was sinking faster than he could tighten the knots. Cho's frantic voice jerked Lisbon from her prayers.

"Pull! Pull now!" he screamed, seeing his friend sink completely below the surface of the nest. All hands above pulled mightily, starting a rhythm, each pull drawing Jane up through the nest as if being re-born. Bit by bit, the nest disintegrated and fell away, falling silently into the dark chasm below.

"Keep pulling!" Lisbon cried, up on her feet, willing Jane to rise.

Jane's body slowly surfaced from the gloom, Cho at his side keeping his dangling body steady. When he was near the top, Cho let go of Jane and swung back, slamming against the side of the pit wall. When he regained his composure, he was drawn up by strong hands at the side of the pit. Jane's body crested the edge of the hole and the assembled agents grabbed ahold of him. As several hands untied the robe around his limp body Lisbon ran over and fell on his still form, weeping in fear for his life and relief that he had been rescued. But was it too late?

She examined his body and willed him to open his eyes and give her a smile. She put a hand on his face to caress him, and was thrilled to feel warm skin meet her palm. Then she saw the bullet wound in his head.

"There's no time to wait for the ambulance to arrive from the compound. We've got to get him into Austin Lisbon" came Abbott's kind voice. "Let's let the pilot load him on the chopper, OK?" he said softly.

Lisbon shook her head in agreement, loath to let go of the man she loved so desperately. As Jane was loaded into the rescue basket, Cho ran over to see if his friend was still alive.

"How is he?" he asked anyone close by.

"Alive!" Lisbon cried. "That's all that matters isn't it?" she smiled with watery eyes.

Cho and Lisbon jogged with the agents who transported Jane to the helicopter and got onboard with him for the flight to Austin. Cho would use his first aid training to watch over Jane while Lisbon sat close to him. She didn't care what happened at the Ranch now. She had Jane back.

(The Gate)

Miriam and Bobbie stood at the fence, she desperate to know what was going on back at the Ranch, Bobbie desperate for the ice cream cone that nice man had promised him. A short while later a McCarron County State Trooper drove up to the gate and stepped out of his car.

"Hello Ma'am" he said kindly. "I was told to come and pick you up."

Miriam smiled. Finally she was free to go! "Thank you! I need to go back to the Ranch and find my friend Mr. Jane" she began.

"Sorry Miss, but my orders are to take you to safety and arrest this man" he said, looking at the distracted man standing beside her in a dusty black suit.

"Please, Mr. Jane needs help!" she pleaded.

"Ma'am, the FBI are onsite and will take care of him, OK? Please, let me get you back to town for a drink or some food. Is this the man Mr. Jane hypnotized" he asked in wonder.

Miriam nodded her head. Much as Bobbie was very dangerous in his normal state, she had become used to him being a kind of pet, eager for treats.

"Yes, he works for Michael, at the Ranch. As long as he stays like this he's harmless. As soon as Jane releases him from this trance, watch out!"

"Thanks for the tip Ma'am" the Trooper said with a nod of his head. He was very cute Miriam thought.

Trooper Ambrose approached Bobbie and spoke gently to him.

"Would you like a ride in my car?" he asked him.

"To get ice cream?" came the simple reply.

"Ah...sure! We'll get you some ice cream sir. Right this way." He led him to the car and opened the door of the heavily secured back seat.

"You can play with these cuff links while we go find that ice cream" Teddy Ambrose said, taking out his handcuffs and locking Bobbie's hands together. He locked Bobbie in the grilled-in back seat while Miriam sat down in front passenger seat. The Trooper came in and started the car. She felt safe sitting next to the handsome Trooper. Safer than she had felt in a very long time.

Turning to her, he had to admit she was the prettiest passenger he had ever carried in his police car. He liked it.

"Nice to meet you Ma'am" he said, admiring her fresh complexion and beautiful hair. "I'm Trooper Teddy Ambrose."

Miriam blushed and extended her hand to him. "Nice to meet you too" she answered. "I'm Mir… or rather, my name's Evie… Evie McCall. Please, could you take me away from here?"

"With pleasure" Teddy smiled.

(The Desert)

Abbott watched the helicopter take off with Cho, Lisbon and Jane. Michael and Glenn had been restrained and put into separate Federal vehicles which were taking them into Austin where they would be processed, interrogated and jailed. Jane had revealed the clue that explained what happened to Walter Carruthers. Abbott returned to the Ranch to begin a search of the premises. The first thing they had to locate was the shirt with the missing button.

Upon driving up to the courtyard in front of the long main building, Abbott spied a very anxious Hannah, who ran over to his SUV, overflowing with questions.

"Did you find Mr. Jane? Is he OK? Where's Michael?"

"We found him Hannah, thanks to your help. He was shot but we hope for the best. Jane's on his way to the hospital right now, so please, try to relax" Abbott told her. Whether Jane was OK or not, Abbott didn't really know.

Hannah was horrified at this news. She could have done more, prevented this somehow! Seeing her distress, Abbott reached out to reassure her. Taking her hand in his, he tried to show her what she had done for Jane.

"Hannah, because of you Jane was saved. If you hadn't risked everything to warn us, we'd still be looking for him. Thank you."

Hannah blushed at his compliment. She couldn't handle much more today, but then she remembered her former Messiah.

"But Michael...he's dangerous! He'll come for me!" Hannah said, her fears still very much alive.

"Michael and Glenn have been arrested and taken into custody. You don't have to be afraid of them anymore" he explained to the young woman. Hannah was stunned into silence. It was over. In just a few hours her life had changed forever. Her life was her own now. She turned away from Abbott's SUV trying to process everything that had just happened. Then she understood what it all meant. She was free.

The agents Abbott had left at the Ranch tasked with searching for weapons had found a large cache of guns under the stage. Many of the men loyal to Michael had planned on using those guns to defend Michael to the death if it had come to that. They considered the FBI agents Federal invaders. Confining them and taking away their guns had prevented a terrible and tragic outcome to this siege. Agents were deployed to scour every inch of the Ranch to find evidence of crimes committed there by Michael, Bobbie and Glenn.

Abbott and his team walked into an auditorium full of frightened, confused disciples. Without Michael to tell them what to do and what to believe, they were in danger of falling apart or rebelling against the agents standing watch over them. They needed to be taken to a safe place and debriefed, then helped to adjust to life in the outside world again. For some the transition would be easy, for others, long sessions with professionals who had worked with ex-cult members would be needed before they could re-integrate into society again. As the day wore on, buses arrived to take the followers into Austin where their new lives would begin.

A forensics team arrived to thoroughly sweep the compound. When they were finished, they would discover enough mind-altering drugs to fill a pharmacy. Jane's suit and wallet were bagged and eventually returned to Abbott.

While the FBI began their investigation into the activities of Michael and his cohorts at Refuge Ranch, the helicopter carrying Jane tore through the endless blue skies over the desert. Lisbon sat close to Jane, her hand on his heart, inexpressibly thrilled to feel it beat steadily against her palm. Cho had done a thorough assessment of his physical condition and felt he was in no immediate danger before they reached the hospital in Austin. Fortunately, the bullet had just grazed Jane's skull and wasn't a serious concern. He found a sterile gauze dressing and taped it against the wound to stop the bleeding. Jane was OK so far but Cho's guilt in not firing off a shot to stop Glenn would haunt him for a long time. He believed he had waited too long. Jane could have died.

"How much longer?" Lisbon asked the pilot, so afraid Jane would take a turn for the worse before they reached a hospital.

"Soon Agent Lisbon. We've received special permission to land first when we get to the hospital in Austin."

Cho moved away from Lisbon and Jane to give them some privacy. Jane was beginning to come around and felt a hand on his chest. He cringed involuntarily. Who was touching him? As Lisbon ran her hand gently over his chest a large hand snapped up and grabbed her small wrist.

"Stop!" Jane growled with his eyes shut, clearly upset.

Lisbon gasped in shock. Cho rushed over to see what was wrong. Jane was clearly reliving a bad memory.

"It's me Patrick. It's Teresa!" she said softly. Jane appeared to be fighting something, or someone, in his mind.

"Wake up buddy" said Cho firmly, seeing Jane's distress. "You're safe now."

Jane slowly opened his eyes and beheld two of the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen. Breaking into a broad smile, he stared at Lisbon as if he was imagining her in a dream.

"Hi…" he breathed softly.

"Hi yourself."

Jane closed his eyes momentarily, enjoying this dream. His body shook with the vibration of the chopper. Becoming aware of the sound of the engine, he reopened his eyes with confusion.

"Teresa?"

"Yes Patrick?" she answered, leaning in close to his face.

"Are you real?"

"Very real. See?" she said, putting her hand on his face to brush the hair out of his eyes. Jane smiled at her touch. A look of consternation then swept over his face.

"Where am I? What's that noise?" he asked, his brain sluggish from the migraine, bullet wound and concussion. It was a lot to handle.

"You're in a helicopter and we're on our way to Austin, to a hospital to get you checked out" she reassured him.

"Ooo...a chopper" he smiled, closing his eyes sleepily. "How exciting" he mumbled before he fell asleep again.

Teresa sat back and held his hand, content that he was safe and apparently not too badly hurt. She felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. Cho watched them and then turned to stare out into the sky, his own demons to overcome.

Ten minutes later Jane stirred again. Lisbon put her hand on his chest to rouse him and he jerked away from her stiffly. His eyes flew open in fear again, his memories of Michael still too fresh to leave behind in the desert.

"Patrick, it's OK. It's me" Teresa soothed him, running her hand through his hair.

Jane took in her concerned face and felt foolish. "I thought you were Michael" he said groggily. Cho snorted in amusement and stayed in his seat, satisfied his friend was going to be OK.

"Sorry, just me" Lisbon smiled back. "Unless you'd prefer that old conman" she teased, thrilled to see Jane awake finally.

Jane took a deep breath and relaxed in his bed. "That's a tough decision, but all things considered, I'll take you over a slimy, fake Messiah any day" he whispered, reaching for her lovely face.

"High praise indeed" she grinned as she leaned in for a kiss.

(McCarron County Sheriff's Office)

Trooper Ambrose had enjoyed every minute of his drive back to the office with his lovely passenger. Bobbie remained silent for most of the trip, only asking for ice cream once or twice. When they had finally locked Bobbie in their small jail with an ice cream cone, Ambrose and his other officers settled down to do some paperwork before Federal agents arrived to transport Bobbie to Austin for further questioning. Miriam/Evie McCall was huddled on a small sofa, a cup of coffee warming her hands. Her initial burst of adrenaline had worn off and now she was just tired. Trooper Ambrose stopped what he was doing and came over to join her. He had every intention of getting to know her better in the coming weeks...months actually, if he had his way.

"Are you ready to make that call?" he asked her gently. She had been flustered and relieved to be free of Refuge Ranch and needed some time to decompress before she called her family. She nodded her head and stood up with Teddy (she liked that name) and walked over to a private office to place the call. There was no way of knowing if anyone would answer at her mother's old telephone number. Had she finally moved on without her? Did her mother sell the old house and move to a happier place without all of the sad memories the dusty back country represented to her?

Evie hit the buttons on the Trooper's phone nervously, then waited. And waited.

The phone rang at Dianna McCall's home. She was so happy to learn that Calvin had been arrested, but when she heard nothing else, her hopes of seeing Evie soon had been dashed. Maybe her daughter didn't want to see her anymore. Maybe four years of waiting to get Evie back from that insidious cult had all been for nothing. Dianna got up from her easy chair and walked to the phone in the kitchen.

"Hello?"

Someone at the other end of the line let out a gasp of surprise, then a cautious "hello" in return.

"Hello? Mom?" came a shaky voice. "Mom, it's me" Evie said in relief.

"Evie? Evie is that really you?" Dianna cried out.

"Yes Mom it's me. I'm free! I ran away from Michael and the Ranch and I just want to come home" Evie said in an emotional rush of words.

"I'm coming sweetie" smiled Dianna, her heart dangerously close to exploding in love and relief. The rest of the call was so intimate, so sweet, one that Dianna would remember for the rest of her life. Her baby needed her and wanted to come home. Dianna couldn't find her car keys fast enough!

(FBI Helicopter)

"We'll be landing in about 10 minutes Agent Lisbon" said the pilot.

"Thanks." Lisbon leaned in to rouse Jane, as the noise and motion of the helicopter had lulled him into a comfortable state somewhere between sleep and dozing.

"Patrick, time to wake up, we're landing soon."

Jane moved slightly and winced as his foot hit the side of the basket he lay in. "Owwww!"

"Can't wait for that to get better" he groused.

"Hey, you got shot in the head, be glad you can complain about anything!" Lisbon teased him.

Jane nodded and gazed at his foot. He remembered something.

"Teresa, unwrap the elastic wrapping around my ankle carefully. There's a blue button hidden in there. We need it for evidence" he explained.

Teresa reached down and unwound the wrap from his ankle. As she did, pieces of his lock pick set fell out with a clatter into the metal basket. Why was she not surprised at that? Then she found the button, knowing it was the one Jane found in the desert where Walter Carruthers had been left to die.

"What else is in there?" she smirked, putting the button in a plastic evidence baggie.

"Jimmy Hoffa" replied Jane, glad to know that the evidence was finally in safe hands. The chopper dropped low in the sky and Jane braced himself in his shaking bed for the landing.

A few minutes later the chopper set down on the heli-pad atop the hospital in Austin, where a team of medical personnel was waiting for their patient.

"Stay with me?" he asked as the door began to slide open.

"Stuck like glue" Teresa replied, holding his hand while two orderlies from the ER department stepped in to take Jane out of the chopper and put him on a waiting gurney. From the rooftop heli-pad it was a quick trip down an elevator to the ER department downstairs. They finally had to separate while Jane was examined by a doctor and Cho and Lisbon filled out his paperwork. Then they waited. Cho found some coffee for the two of them and made some calls to Abbott to keep abreast of the shuttering of Refuge Ranch. He was worried about Hannah. She had been so instrumental in the rescue of Jane, so he needed to know she was safe and in good hands.

"She's fine Cho" said Abbott. We'll bring her to Austin where she has family and friends waiting for her. With some help, she'll be OK" he reassured Cho.

Hannah was one of the lucky disciples who left the Ranch that day. She had only been there a year, and had not been raped by The Messenger. Her re-integration into the world at large was going to be so much easier that it would be for others for whom Michael was the Alpha and the Omega. Cho stood by the phone considering all these things until he saw a doctor approach Lisbon. Time to see how Jane was, finally.


	34. Coming to Terms

We're almost at the end of the story, but there are still some details to work out. Thanks for sticking around friends! A couple more chapters should do it.

The Messenger

Chapter 34

Coming To Terms

Cho hung up and stood as the doctor from the ER came into the waiting room asking for Jane's family.

"Yes, that's us" said Lisbon. The doctor sat down with them and began his report.

"Mr. Jane is a very lucky man. The bullet wound to his temple was superficial and will heal rapidly. Only needs a stitch or two. Another few millimetres deeper and we would not have had a good outcome. Of more concern is a pretty good concussion. I understand he was in a car wreck a few days ago?"

"Yes, he was, but he hasn't really had a chance to recuperate from his injuries" said Lisbon, worried now.

"I see. The concussion is causing some confusion and a severe migraine. We can help with pain medication, but Mr. Jane mostly needs complete rest to recover. There's a large laceration in his scalp that was well stitched, so we'll leave that to heal on its' own. It looks like he was beaten very recently, and his chest and back are pretty bruised, but there are no broken ribs or internal injuries to worry about. Again, bed rest is the best cure."

"What about his ankle? I looked at it in the helicopter and it looks pretty bad" Lisbon interrupted.

"That ankle is swollen due to stretched ligaments. We also suspect there is a least one small bone that is broken. We'll take him down for x-rays to be sure. A walking cast will make him much more comfortable if that is the case. As soon as he stays off the foot the swelling will go down. As for his general condition, he's dehydrated and suffering from exhaustion. We'd like to keep him in for a couple of days to watch the concussion and make sure he gets the rest he needs. Pain medication will make him more comfortable very soon."

"Can I see him?" Lisbon asked, so glad the report didn't reveal something more serious.

"A nurse will come and get you as soon as we're finished checking out Mr. Jane's ankle. Then you can visit for a while, but keep it short. He's fighting to stay awake as it is" the doctor smiled kindly.

"Thank you!" said Cho and Lisbon. Jane was going to be OK! Soon he could go home and recuperate in much happier surroundings. Cho hugged Lisbon and stood to leave.

"Say 'hi' to Jane from me. Gotta go and meet Abbott at the office when he comes in. Lots of paperwork to do on this one" he smiled.

"Thanks Cho, I will. I'll be in tomorrow to help" she began, before Cho cut her off.

"Don't. Stay with Jane. We can handle the rest until you're ready to come in. I'll be in to see Jane soon."

"OK. Thanks again" she smiled. Teresa suspected paperwork wasn't the real reason Cho was leaving without seeing Jane, but she knew he would be back, when he was ready. Before long a nurse found her and lead her to Jane's room.

Jane had a private room courtesy of the FBI, and lay with his eyes closed. Lisbon slipped in the room quietly and stood beside his bed, taking his hand in hers. An IV dripped needed fluids into his body along with pain medication, which made him sleepy. The effort to stay awake for Lisbon had finally been too much and Jane had slipped into a deep sleep. Lisbon noted a new, fresh dressing on his ankle, soon to be replaced with a walking cast once the swelling had subsided. Fresh stitches adorned the scar left by the bullet. She lightly touched his forehead, chastened with the knowledge that he could have died from that errant shot from Glenn's gun. She understood how Cho felt.

The blush of deep bruising was spreading across Jane's midsection, and she expected to see the same on his back. That would hurt when he woke up. She had so many questions. What had really happened to him that evening when he went out into the desert? She could draw some conclusions from what Calvin had admitted, but she was sure there was a far more detailed story to pull out of Jane if he was willing to talk about it. Sighing deeply, she had to be content to let him sleep off his exhaustion and wait for him to open up about his days trapped at Refuge Ranch. She would have to convince Jane to be content to stay still and rest, before he could finally go home with the woman he loved. Lisbon stayed with him until a nurse came in to check on Jane. He would sleep for a while yet so Lisbon decided to go home and quickly eat lunch and freshen up. She wanted to look her best when he finally woke up. It was a short drive to her home, and after promises from the staff to call her if anything happened to Patrick, she left him sleeping peacefully and headed for her condo. So much had happened and the day was only half done. But Jane was free and alive, so it was a very good day indeed.

(McCarron County Sheriff's Office)

Bobbie sat in the small jail eating an ice cream cone, his second that day. Arrangements had been made to transfer him to Austin where he would be brought up on charges relating to the death of Walter Carruthers and the kidnapping of Patrick Jane, along with myriad other lesser charges. Until Jane released him from his trance, he remained placid and easy to deal with. Evie McCall had been picked up by her very emotional mother and brother. They couldn't have imagined when they got up this morning that they would have Evie back in their arms before dinner time. Evie was relieved to be free of Michael and his cult, but she would need the help of professionals to finally overcome the damage done to her over the last four years. It wouldn't be easy, but she looked forward to beginning her life anew.

(Hospital, Austin)

Two hours later Jane was resting but restless. A nurse had explained to him that Lisbon had gone home to freshen up and it would be awhile before supper. He was disappointed that he had missed Lisbon. He wanted to hold her and inhale her fragrance, just to know she was there with him at last. Time weighed heavily on Jane as he couldn't get up to roam around, poking his nose into areas he had no business investigating. He had a fresh cup of tea to sip however. That would kill some time. A pile of books and magazines on his night table caught his eye, and as he reached for the first book in the pile, a soft knock came on his door.

"Yes?"

"You decent?" asked Cho from the hallway.

Smiling broadly, Jane invited his stoic friend to come in. "Not according to some people!" Jane smirked as Cho pushed the door open and strode in.

"I figured you'd be climbing the walls already so I brought you a book. Hope you haven't read it yet" Cho smiled, handing over a heavy tome to Jane.

" 'The True History of the Alamo' " said Jane, reading the title. "Thank you Cho. Much appreciated. And no, I haven't read this one yet, so thank you!" he said, admiring the book for the nuggets of history he would soon memorize. Setting the book aside, he indicated a chair for his friend to sit in by his bed.

"I thought I'd give you and Lisbon some time alone before I dropped by. How are you feeling?" asked Cho, uncomfortable seeing Jane in a hospital bed.

"Never better!" answered Jane a bit too quickly.

"I doubt that" smirked Cho. "Don't use that line on Lisbon. She won't believe it any more than me."

Jane shrugged and carried on. "Ok. I'm better than I was yesterday. As soon as they can cast my foot I can get out of here. Then I'll be fine."

"So it's broken?"

"A small bone apparently but it needs to be set" Jane explained, staring at his painful ankle.

Cho leaned back in his chair, looking serious. "Don't be in a hurry to get out of here Jane. You still have that concussion to deal with."

"Meh...I can rest at home as well as here...maybe better" Jane scoffed.

"And if you don't, it becomes Lisbon's problem. Don't do that to her" Cho said, caring for both of his friends equally. But all things considered, Jane could be a pain in the ass pretty quickly when he was bored and frustrated. In the end, it would be Lisbon's issue to deal with.

Jane watched Cho as he spoke and read him easily. There was a reason Cho had come to see him and it had nothing to do with his health.

"You can stop doing that Cho" Jane said softly, studying Cho's composed face.

"Stop what?"

"Stop feeling guilty that I got shot. That I fell into that pit this morning."

Cho looked away uncomfortably and started to interrupt Jane, but Jane continued.

"Stop telling yourself that you should have taken that shot."

Cho looked down at his hands, his mind reliving the moment Glenn's gun went off and Jane dropped into the earth. Jane knew him too well. That's exactly what would kept Cho awake all night.

Looking up into Jane's placid face, Cho let his words tumble out in a rush, angry and frustrated with himself so soon after the rescue at the oil drilling pit.

"I should have taken Glenn out. I hesitated, waited for the perfect shot, but there is no perfect shot and you almost died" Cho confessed, anguished at the idea that Jane could have died in front of them all. I front of Lisbon.

"And for that hesitation, I thank you" said Jane sincerely.

"You can't mean that" said Cho quietly.

Jane reached for his cooling tea. "I can, and I do."

Cho wasn't sure what Jane could possibly mean. He tried to explain himself again.

"I should have shot Glenn before he and Michael fought over the gun."

Jane shook his head in disagreement, seeing how Cho was raking himself over the coals for nothing.

"No, you shouldn't have taken that shot and you knew it today out in the desert. There was no shot to take. Cho, you're the best marksman at the FBI. Glenn had a gun to my head and my feet were over a bottomless pit. The chances of me surviving that were zero. If you had taken that shot, either Glenn would have shot me by accident or the two of us would have gone over the edge of the pit together. I know that I wouldn't have survived either eventuality, so thank you for waiting. I'm alive because you did."

Cho was going to argue, but seeing Jane's calm face, he knew it was pointless. Perhaps Jane was right. He did hesitate because Glenn could have killed Jane anyway. Cho decided to let it go, for now. He could dissect the day endlessly until it drove him nuts, or he could take it for what it was - a good outcome.

"Are we good now?" asked Jane, taking another sip of his tea.

"Yeah, we're good" said Cho. Both men knew it couldn't be over for Cho yet, but they let it pass.

"Excellent! Now could I talk you into stealing some cookies from the nurse's lounge?" asked Jane with a mischievous grin.

"No. I'm a Federal Agent. I could arrest you for soliciting me to commit a crime" smiled Cho, checking his watch and heading for the door.

"Worth a try" grinned Jane, glad to have helped Cho deal with his problem.

"You should see the pile of paperwork you've created for us" Cho explained. "Time to get back to it. See you soon" said Cho at the door. "Be good."

"Bye Cho" waved Jane. Damn he had wanted those cookies. But on the bright side, as soon as Cho was out of sight, the lovely Teresa Lisbon appeared in his doorway bearing gifts.

(FBI Austin)

Michael and Glenn had been transported to Austin and placed far away from each other in separate cells. Fingerprinting revealed Michael's true identity via Interpol. He was born Michel Vogel in Germany, and led a life of crime there, running with gangs and landing in jail under his real name. When he ran afoul of the leader of one of the biggest crime families in Berlin, he took his uncle's offer to start a new life in America. Unfortunately a change of geography did nothing to change his criminal leanings. He worked hard to lose his German accent as a young man and started to apply what he had learned in Germany about cheating innocents out of their money and valuables, to new victims in the U.S. Rising in prestige within the ranks of criminals in his adopted city of Detroit, he pulled bigger and riskier scams, staying just beyond the reach of the law, until he scammed his own uncle out of his life savings. Oddly enough, his uncle died soon after his money disappeared from his bank account.

The police were closing in on Michel when he disappeared with his uncle's money, never to be found. Instead of residing in a jail cell, Michel Vogel re-invented himself in Texas, as a mystical religious leader. He had studied videos of cults and read about them voraciously until he came up with his own spin on the devastating cult phenomenon. When he had his new identity and philosophy in place, he felt ready to win over the lonely, vulnerable and very rich widow Martha Steadman in McCarron County. After winning her trust, he convinced her that he was the answer to her prayers. Her vast bank account guaranteed him a safe place to hide in the desert where he could build his Ranch and fill it with wealthy, deluded cult members. It was a life of ease he could only have dreamed of back in Germany.

Bobbie was just a thug that Michael had found, easy to keep on the payroll since the job was so simple, if not boring. Regular visits into Austin to sample the nightlife kept Bobbie loyal to his odd employer. Glenn came to the Ranch through Bobbie and together they kept everyone in line through intimidation and scare tactics. The only one left to bring to Austin now was Bobbie. Then the investigation into Refuge Ranch could begin in earnest.


	35. Bear Claws and Kisses

Thank you to all of my wonderful Fanfiction friends. Your comments have been so encouraging and timely. Guest reviewers have also been so kind. There is a bit more to accomplish in the story so without delay...here is another chapter.

The Messenger

Chapter 35

Bear Claws and Kisses

(Hospital, Austin)

Lisbon stepped into the room with a puzzle book and a delicious smelling paper bag. Her smile was electric, her personality changing the air in the room. At least, it all changed for Jane as soon as he saw her standing there.

"Hello again" she said coyly. "I come bearing gifts of the fattening kind!"

"Come here you" Jane said softly, beckoning her with his long index finger. She deposited the book and pastries on a chair and rushed into his waiting arms. Neither spoke for a long while, the warmth of their bodies and the strength of their embrace enough for the moment. Jane lifted his head and stared at Teresa, taking in her lovely face and was once again overwhelmed with the love he felt for her. Taking her face between his two hands, he gently kissed her, deeply and slowly, becoming one with her. He had dreamed of this moment ever since he fell into Michael's clutches.

"I love you" he whispered, as he leaned back against his pillow.

"I love you too" Teresa blushed, still getting used to saying that out loud.

When they finally disentangled themselves, Jane patted the bed to invite Teresa to sit next to him. She grabbed the paper bag and carefully sat beside him, holding his free hand.

"I missed you when I woke up" Patrick said, gazing into her deep green eyes. Lisbon had worn her emerald green silk blouse, the one he loved on her so much. She smelled wonderful, spicy and fresh. He could stay sitting next to her like this forever. He leaned in for another quick kiss and then settled back to enjoy her company.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you when you woke up, but the nurse said I had time to go home for a while since you would sleep for a long time" Teresa apologized.

"Since when have I ever done what the nurses said I would do?" Patrick teased her, running his hand through her thick hair.

"I should have known better" Teresa admitted. "I was here earlier today, but you were sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you."

"Waking up to you is never a disturbance, but thank you anyway. I _was_ tired" he explained. Reaching into the bag Teresa pulled out a bear claw for both of them. While Jane took a grateful bite of the flaky pastry, Teresa ventured a question knowing that Jane might not answer.

"I saw Cho in the hall. Is everything OK between you two?" Teresa asked, knowing Cho would struggle with the decisions he had made this morning.

"We're good. I wouldn't want anyone else to make the decisions he had to make today. He's one of the best… next to you of course" Patrick smiled.

"Good. Glad to hear it. And how about you, are you OK?" Teresa asked, gazing at Patrick seriously. "And don't even think about lying to me Mister" she added, munching on her own massive bear claw.

"Oooo, I love it when you get all authoritarian on me!" smirked Jane.

"Well?" demanded Teresa, not about to be put off.

Jane sighed and studied their intertwined hands. "I'm OK. Everything hurts but that will get better with time. I think Glenn's boot was made of steel from the bruises I'm getting. My brain is a bit shook up. Rest will help with that, apparently. But…there's so much more to work through" he said, looking up into her eyes, unwilling to lie to her. Teresa nodded silently, encouraging him to be honest.

"I thought I was going to die today. I tried so hard to get back to you, but I didn't think there was any way to survive Glenn and that pit in the ground…" he admitted wistfully. "And that had nothing to do with Cho."

"But you did survive Patrick, and you _will_ come home with me soon" Teresa interjected, seeing his distress.

Jane pushed on. "Please, let me say this before I change my mind."

"Sorry… go on."

Jane sat back and sighed, resigned to opening up his heart more fully than ever before. "I thought I was going to die, and then it would be over for me…but to die in front of you, like that" he paused, overcome with the memory of Teresa's wide, terrified eyes that morning as he dangled on the crater's edge. "When you were so close but unable to help me...that hurt me more than anything else. I couldn't bear the thought of you having to watch me die" he said sadly with a shake of his head.

Teresa was at a loss for words. She had feared the same thing and knew she wouldn't have dealt with his death at all well. It would have devastated her, there was no doubt about that. She leaned in and hugged him tightly. They clung to each other in love and relief, their emotional pain still raw and needing careful handling. Teresa pulled away from Patrick and stared at him, willing him to feel her love and support.

"You didn't die today Patrick, not today, not in that car wreck out in the desert, not when you tried to run away from Michael. You're here, now, with me. Let that be enough for us, OK?" she suggested.

Jane studied her hopeful face and couldn't argue with her plea to move on and leave his near death in the past. "We can thank Cho for holding off on that shot he was going to take" he said.

"Yes we should." Teresa leaned against Patrick's shoulder and stroked his arm gently. She let their words sink in before she spoke again.

"Why did Cho come to speak with you? I figured he had something on his mind this morning when he left here" she asked.

"He had a lot to get off his chest, doubts about whether he should have done more, taken that shot. This is hard for him too. We discussed it, and he's going to be alright. Just give him...give me...some time" said Patrick.

"I will" agreed Teresa. They sat quietly munching their bear claws for a few minutes, each thinking over the traumatic events of early that morning. It had been just a few hours ago, but now seemed so long in the past. As Lisbon relived the raid on the compound, she realized she needed to mention the situation with Bobbie.

"By the way, Abbott called and asked how to get Bobbie released from his trance. Apparently he's driving everyone nuts begging for ice cream cones!" Teresa told Jane. Jane laughed at that, since he had in fact implanted the desire for ice cream into Bobbie's befuddled brain.

"I'll speak to Abbott and tell him what to do. Bobbie will be back to his charming self before you know it" Patrick assured Teresa.

"I have to ask, what happened out in the desert when you had your accident? We only know your car went over the cliff in a flash flood, but after that, it's just guesswork on our part" asked Teresa.

Jane paused to finish his pastry, taking his time to brush crumbs away while he thought back to that frightening event. "Ah yes, the flood. I could have been home before suppertime that day but the road back to Austin was blocked with a 'Road Closed Due To Flash Flooding" sign someone had put up. I think that was Calvin's handiwork, yes?"

Lisbon nodded. Calvin had made that call and then Jane was in trouble.

"That sign diverted me to another back road that really did flood. By the time my car was caught up in the flood crossing the road I couldn't get out of the way of the rushing water. I slid across the road and got trapped in the car against the guy wires on the side of the highway. In minutes, the water pushed my car up until it tipped and I went over the edge. I only remember the car cartwheeling down the hill with me holding on for dear life. My foot got trapped under the gas pedal and I must have been hit in the head with debris, because the next thing I remember is waking up in that little hospital at Refuge Ranch."

"I'm so sorry you went through that alone Patrick. I was waiting for you at home and was so worried. We all went out looking for you, but no one had seen you" said Teresa, remembering the anguish she felt that rainy night. "What happened at the hospital when you woke up? Did you try to call me?"

Jane took Teresa's hand in his and gave it a little squeeze. He wasn't the only one who suffered during his incarceration at the Ranch. Teresa had been in a type of prison too.

"I woke up and met Michael. He spent a lot of time staring at me while I slept."

"Creepy…" muttered Teresa.

"Certainly was" said Patrick meaningfully. "I told Michael who I was right away and asked if I could contact you so that someone could come and get me. Michael told me there was no cell phone service, no land line, and no wifi out there. I was trapped."

"And yet all three were available to him, the bastard" grunted Teresa with disgust. "So you were stuck there with no way to let us know where you were!"

"Yes, that pretty much sums up my situation. I did tell Michael to call Cho or you at the FBI but he didn't believe anything I said, not then at least."

"Maybe that's a good thing Patrick. If he had believed you were in any way associated with the FBI he might have just killed you there and then. Good thing he was so focussed on controlling you that he screwed up on that" Teresa guessed.

Jane nodded, agreeing with her. "Michael tried to convince me that I had been there in his hospital for three weeks, and that no one was looking for me. Basically, that no one missed me. From that point on, Michael started to drug me and began his programme of round the clock indoctrination."

"Let me guess, it didn't work out very well" smiled Teresa.

"Ahhh, no. Once I figured out my food and drink was drugged, I knew everything Michael told me was a lie and I had to get out of there as fast as possible. Two nurses helped me try to escape" he explained.

"Hannah and Miriam. Yes, I met Hannah and she seems like a wonderful young woman. We owe both of them a lot" said Teresa, smiling. "Actually Miriam is Evie McCall, the daughter of the two people you met in the diner that night."

Jane looked at Lisbon quizzically. How could those two horrid people have produced such a lovely woman? "I find that hard to believe Teresa."

"It's a long story Patrick, I'll explain everything to you. But those people were not so bad after all. Michael was blackmailing them into being his puppets too. The fact that they were so nasty to you was their way of trying to send you on your way before Calvin got his hooks into you."

"It almost worked" Jane nodded, seeing the logic of it all.

"Abbott needs your statement Patrick, but it can wait until you get out of here" said Teresa. "With luck, maybe you'll get your walking cast tomorrow and you can go home in time for dinner" she suggested hopefully.

"Fingers crossed" Jane added. "I had to promise to stay in bed until then to get the swelling down."

"How's the headache?" Teresa asked, eyeing the stitches on the side of his head and his forehead. More interesting scars to add character to his handsome face.

"Getting better with this" Jane said, pointing to the IV drip. "At least this stuff isn't making me crazy" he admitted.

A nurse knocked on his door and entered the room. Time for a checkup. Lisbon reluctantly eased off the bed and left a cold space behind. Jane missed her warm body immediately.

"I won't be long" smiled the nurse, reaching for her blood pressure cuff.

"Ok, see you in a minute" smiled Teresa while Jane relinquished himself to the nurse's ministrations.

"Bring good tea back with you!" Jane said as Teresa slipped out of the door.

(FBI Austin - late afternoon)

Abbott had just settled at his desk to complete some paperwork before heading out for the afternoon when his phone rang. Surprised to hear who was waiting to see him, he stepped out into the bullpen to find Evie and Hannah standing by Jason Wylie's desk. Wylie was blushing and enjoying the company of these two lovely women, Hannah especially. Upon seeing Dennis Abbott, both women broke into broad smiles and reached to shake his hand.

"Mr. Abbott! So good to see you again!" said Hannah. Miriam was shy around the imposing FBI Agent, but Hannah had told her what a good man Abbott was. To be truthful, just being at the FBI office was pretty intimidating for Evie McCall.

"Hannah. Nice to see you again so soon! I thought you'd be with your family today" Dennis said, surprised by her re-appearance so soon after being rescued early that morning.

Hannah blushed but spoke for both she and her friend Evie. She introduced Evie, and Abbott realized that this was Miriam, the girl Jane had managed to get out of the compound the previous night. "We had lunch with our parents and will be going back to see them later today, but first we were wondering how Mr. Jane is doing. We both took care of him at the Ranch and well...we're concerned for his health."

"Miss McCall" smiled Abbott, shaking Evie's hand. "I'm so glad you were able to reconnect with your mother and brother today."

"Thank you Sir. It was a miracle and I'm still amazed that they waited for me for so long" Evie admitted.

"From what Agent Lisbon told me, your mother and brother never gave up hope of seeing you again. As for the both of you, how did you two manage to find each other so quickly here on the outside?" asked Dennis.

"FACEBOOK!" laughed both girls.

Dennis smiled. "Ah...I should have known."

"We were wondering Mr. Abbott, could we go and visit Mr. Jane in the hospital before we leave and get settled once again with our families?" asked Hannah.

"We heard he was shot!" said Evie. "We're so worried about him. After all, he was our patient!"

Dennis studied them and saw two young sincere women whose lives had been changed because they met Jane

"I tell you what. Let me call Agent Lisbon and ask her if she's OK with Mr. Jane receiving visitors today. She's keeping a pretty close eye on him" he grinned, reaching for his cell phone

After the nurse had finished checking Jane's blood pressure, his heart and temperature, Lisbon had come back into his room armed with tea bags that Jane would approve of. Then she left him so that he could sleep a while before she came back to share supper with him. Against his protestations that he couldn't sleep again so soon, she waited by his bedside and within ten minutes, he was sleeping peacefully. She kissed his lips and left to run some errands. She decided to bring a wonderful takeout meal to the hospital later so that Jane wouldn't have to eat the bland concoction the hospital kitchen would prepare for him. While she was picking up some Thai take out for the two of them her phone rang.

"Hi Dennis, what can I do for you?" she smiled as she walked to the car. She filled him in on Jane's condition so far today and assured him that Jane looked forward to seeing Abbott as soon as he could pop in for a visit.

Abbott told her about Jane's former nurses wanting to see him and immediately Lisbon's defences went up. Anyone associated with the cult made her wary, especially two of them at once, even though she had met Hannah that morning. She told Abbott to ask Jane directly. He knew these women and would know if they were trustworthy. If Jane was OK with them coming to visit, she had to be as well. Hanging up she loaded bags of food into the car and set off for the hospital, somewhat agitated that disciples from the cult might be coming to visit the man she loved.


	36. Horizontal Mambo!

Oh I am so close to the end of this story. Here is a longish chapter with maybe another one or two to come later this week. Thank you to all my regular reviewers and the guests who have written lately. You make me smile.

The Messenger

Chapter 36

Horizontal Mambo!

(Hospital, Austin)

Jane was awake and sitting up in bed, trying to stretch out his tight back muscles. The phone rang and the pain caused by reaching for it was a reminder of the punches Glenn had delivered a few hours earlier.

"Hello Dennis! Yes I'm on the mend! Waiting for Lisbon to show up with some supper."

Abbott told Jane that Evie and Hannah wanted to come and see him. Jane was delighted.

"I'd like that. Tell them to come tonight around 7, before I get too sleepy to enjoy their visit. Oh, and if you want to get the real Bobbie back, reach through the bars, tap him on the shoulder and say 'Rock Paper Scissors'. The change in him should be instantaneous. I just wish I was there to see the look on his face when he sees where he is" Jane grinned into the phone.

Bobbie's last memory would be of sitting watching Jane and Miriam haul rocks from one side of the field to the other, so suddenly being in a jail cell in the FBI building would come as a huge shock to him.

"Thanks Dennis, I'll see you soon" Jane said, hanging up. The last time he had seen Miriam, she was scrambling over a fence in the dark with Bobbie following close behind her. She and Hannah were friends and Jane felt they would provide good support to each other in the coming weeks and months. For that he was happy. He hoped they both would be able to find good jobs at a medical facility somewhere soon. The sound of nurses delivering trays of food came clattering down the hallway and Jane's stomach growled. Teresa had promised him a delicious supper but was keeping it a surprise. There were so many great restaurants around Austin, he knew whatever she chose would be good. Fifteen minutes later Teresa pushed the door open and the unmistakeable smell of Thai food wafted into the room. Smiling brightly, Teresa kissed him quickly before pulling Jane's bed tray over his lap and set out the bags of food for both of them to enjoy.

"Well this is much better than whatever the hospital kitchen had planned for me" smiled Jane, taking a large mouthful of spicy Pad Thai. "Good thing there are no restrictions on what I can eat!"

"Mmmmm...so good" echoed Teresa, her spoon dipping into creamy Coconut Curry Lemongrass soup. They ate in companionable silence for a while, then took a break to visit.

"Two of my nurses from Refuge Ranch are coming in to see me in a little while" Jane told Lisbon to gauge her reaction to the news. Her stony expression told him just how she felt about that.

"So I heard."

"Don't worry Teresa, they're good people who were doing their best in a crazy situation. They won't harm me" Jane assured her. "Besides, I want you with me when they come" he added.

Teresa took a nibble of her Green Curry with Chilies, then put down her fork. "I met Hannah this morning before we found you, and I agree, she seemed very nice and worried about you. I'm sure Evie is wonderful too….but, it's so soon Jane. You just got away from them and here they are coming to visit you. Do you think that's wise?"

Jane took Teresa's hands in his and looked into her concerned eyes.

"Hannah and Evie were like me, trapped by a conman. They knew something wasn't right and given a bit more time would have tried to escape themselves. And that would have been very dangerous for them. We just made that transition easier for them. They're good women and we have nothing to fear if they come to see me. They're victims too Teresa" he said kindly. "Maybe this is a way they learn can how to deal with what they've been through. We all have to leave Michael and the Ranch behind us."

Teresa nodded in agreement. Patrick was right, and he had spent more time with these girls than she had. With his ability to read people, he would know if they presented any danger to him now. She had to at least give them the chance to show her their true selves.

"OK Patrick. I'll be with you when they come and I'll give them all the space they need."

"Thank you Teresa. I'm in good hands as long as you're beside me. Plus you have a gun on your leg" he smiled. Teresa threw a handful of napkins at him and the tension broke. They finished up their meal and threw away all the bags, boxes and wrappings from their takeout meal.

"Could you help me get up and over to the bathroom? I want to brush my teeth and freshen up before anyone else comes to visit" asked Jane.

Lisbon helped Jane up then she pulled a wheelchair close to his bed, guiding him into it for the short trip to his little washroom. She left him to his private affairs while she tidied up the bed. God, she was getting so domestic! Fussing over the bed and watching over him like a mother hen! Ten minutes later Jane reappeared, freshly washed and coiffed, looking impossibly handsome for a man who had recently gone through such a devastating ordeal. He made his way back under the covers, carefully placing his foot on the extra pillows at the end of the bed. Just before visiting hours his doctor came around to give him a quick examination.

He checked Jane's eyes and his BP, finding everything returning to normal. Then he gently prodded his ankle and was pleased to see that hours of rest had substantially reduced the swelling in his foot.

"So, what's the verdict?" asked Jane, hopeful for good news.

"I'd say that by tomorrow morning we can cast your foot and once it's set, you can go home, just as long as you rest, rest, rest!" he admonished his eager patient.

"I'll make sure he does nothing!" jumped in Teresa, giving the gleeful Patrick a stern look. "Agreed Patrick?"

"I agree! Thank you! Best news I've had all day!" chirped Jane, thrilled to finally, finally, be on his way home.

"Your ankle will continue to improve, but slowly, so take it easy. Your concussion will heal with time and rest. Avoid watching a lot of TV and movies. Rest your brain quite literally, understood?" said the doctor, concerned that his patient would do too much once he was free of the constraints of the hospital.

"I'll make sure he sleeps as much as possible then just rests" smiled Teresa, knowing he would try to read and do puzzles to amuse himself but overtax his brain in doing so.

"OK then. I'll see you in the morning to sign your discharge papers. Nice to meet both of you!" said the doctor as he made his way to the door.

"Thank you!" called Lisbon to him as the door slowly closed behind him. Turning to Jane she saw him grinning like a satisfied cat.

"Happy?" she asked, leaning in to kiss him tenderly.

"So happy" he replied, deepening the kiss, embracing her in his arms. "Can't wait to do this at home without people barging in on us at any moment" he mumbled as she pulled away.

"Slow down tiger" she teased him. "You heard the doctor. You're supposed to rest, not do the horizontal mambo!"

"I will be resting, on the bed, horizontally...but not necessarily alone" he smirked, quirking his eyebrows lasciviously.

"Consider my ankle cast an anchor, pinning me to the bed. Just imagine the liberties you can take with my poor injured body and I won't be able to resist" Jane cooed, reaching to kiss her again.

Lisbon melted into his arms, unable to resist his charm and warmth. This is what she loved about this wonderful, infuriating man.

"Hmmm… so I can take liberties with your body Mr. Jane?" she whispered, causing a shiver to roll up his spine as she licked the inside of his ear. "Be careful what you wish for…"

Teresa was pushing Patrick's sexual buttons by playing along with his banter. If she continued like this he just might have to hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign on his hospital door. The sexual tension and innuendo flowing like electricity between them was making his body respond very positively to her suggestions of taking "liberties". Jane was relishing the sensual moment between them, right up until the door vibrated with a heavy knock. Abbott.

"Jane, you awake?"

It was like a face full of cold water. Sighing in frustration, their lusty desires thwarted for the moment, Lisbon and Jane pulled apart and straightened out their clothes and hair. Abbott was their boss, after all.

"Come in Dennis!" called Jane, grinning like a schoolboy at his blushing lover Teresa.

Abbott came in and hugged Teresa, then shook Jane's hand. "Glad to see you looking so well considering the mess you were in this morning" he smiled. He had no idea what had almost just happened.

"Well thanks to you and everyone else at the FBI, you got me out of that mess, so thank you Dennis!" said Jane, back in control of himself, indicating a chair for his boss to sit in. Abbott got right down to business.

"Bobbie arrived at the office and got processed a short time ago. I did as you said and released him from his trance" said Dennis.

"And?" asked Jane, smiling.

"And, he went wild. Just like you predicted. Couldn't for the life of him figure out how he went from the desert at night to a jail cell at the FBI during the day in a flash. He tried to tear up his cell pretty good, but when he calms down we'll explain his new life to him."

"He won't be happy about that" said Teresa, imagining the man's angry outburst.

"Looks good on him" said Jane, glad Bobbie couldn't intimidate anyone else now. "When do you want me to give my statement Dennis?"

"Why not get home, get settled first, then we can send Cho out to take your statement, to let you rest some more. We've got our hands full right now with everyone else" said Abbott.

"How are the disciples? Any push back?" asked Lisbon.

"Sure, lots. But that's to be expected. They just had their entire world pulled out from underneath their feet. The newbies will be fine, it's the older people who were there at the Ranch the longest who will need the most counselling. To be expected I guess…" Dennis added. "How long are you going to be stuck here Jane?" he asked, looking at Jane's elevated foot.

"Jane can go home in the morning, when his cast sets and he's discharged. Things are looking up!" said Lisbon.

"Glad to hear it. I assume you'll be staying with Lisbon, just so she can keep an eye on you?" said Abbott with a sly wink at Jane.

"Yes, she offered to put me up while I recuperate. Very kind of her" said Jane with a straight face.

"Excellent." Abbott stood up and wandered over to the door. "I'm on my way out, lots to do. Just wanted to see how you were doing Jane, but I see you're in good hands" he smiled at Lisbon.

"Yes I am...thanks Dennis" agreed Jane. "See you soon at work.'

"Take all the time you need" said Abbott as he stepped through the door. Teresa pulled a chair up close to Patrick's bed and sat back, finally relaxed. No one would be pestering Patrick for his statement right away, so he could just decompress and enjoy his time away from the office until he felt well enough to return to work. She could pop in to the office to keep up with her duties while she made sure Patrick rested and didn't get himself into trouble around the house. As long as his mind was kept busy he wouldn't complain too much. She reached for the puzzle book she had brought earlier and handed it to Jane. She decided to distract Jane with a book in case he decided to pick up where they had left off before Abbott barged in.

"Don't try to work them all out right away. Go at it slowly just when you're bored. The doctor said you needed to rest your brain as well as your body" she admonished him.

Flipping through the pages, Jane smiled at the challenges he saw waiting for him in the book, but he had to obey Teresa or risk having the book disappear. "Yes Ma'am!" he agreed.

They visited quietly for half an hour before a soft knock at their door alerted them of a visitor.

"Come in!"

The door opened slowly and Evie popped her head in the door, followed by Hannah. They had brought a large bouquet of wildflowers in a vase and stepped into Jane's room shyly.

"Miriam! Hannah! So good to see you again!" Jane smiled, beckoning them in.

"Actually, it's Evie Mr. Jane" said the polite young woman, putting the vase on Jane's night table.

"Well Evie, please, find a chair and both of you, make yourselves comfortable."

Lisbon found two more chairs and they all sat down around Jane's bed. Lisbon wisely held her tongue, waiting to see how this visit would go.

"Mr. Jane, I was so worried about you this morning! Mr. Abbott told me you had been shot and that's the last I had heard about your condition!" said Hannah.

"Yes, we were so worried! How are you?" echoed Evie.

Jane leaned forward and pointed to his forehead. "Just got grazed by Glenn's bullet. I guess my skull is pretty hard. I'm OK so don't worry anymore."

"And your ankle? Your concussion?" Hannah asked.

"All on the mend. Pain meds are helping with the migraine and my ankle gets a cast on it in the morning, then I can go home."

Both nurses seemed to relax at that news and smiled at each other.

"You have to forgive us Mr. Jane, but we were responsible for you at the Ranch and then you disappeared. As your nurse, I worried about you" said Evie.

"Well thank you for your concern, but I'm doing well. Teresa here will make sure I take it easy and don't overdo anything" said Jane, smiling at Teresa.

"Agent Lisbon, it's so good to see you again. I told my family all about you and they were very impressed!" said Hannah. She had seen how Agent Lisbon looked at Mr. Jane. Clearly, they were in love.

"I want to thank you again Hannah for taking a big risk this morning to help us find Mr. Jane. You were very brave" Teresa said, warming up to these two girls. Hannah blushed and smiled at the compliment.

"Mr. Jane, you took a big risk as well to get me to safety last night. If it wasn't for you I would have been caught by Glenn. Thank you for risking your own safety for me" said Evie seriously.

Jane nodded and felt himself too much the centre of attention. These girls were the brave ones.

"I would have gone with you if I could, so don't make me out to be a hero, I'm far from that" he admitted.

Teresa spoke up. "Considering the danger you all were in and the odds that were against you, alll of you are heroes as far as I'm concerned!" she smiled.

Hannah and Evie looked at each other and blushed. They had not heard so many compliments in a very very long time.

"So what now? What will you both do with your freedom?" asked Jane. This question stymied the girls for a few minutes before they ventured an answer.

"Well, I want to spend a lot of time with my mother and my brother before I do anything else" said Evie. "They waited four years for me to come to my senses, so we have a lot of catching up to do. Then? Well, I think I'll take a refresher nursing course to bring my skill set up to speed. With luck I'll find a job in a hospital or some other medical facility and get on with my life."

Jane turned to Hannah. "And you? What will you be doing?"

Hannah blushed and smiled. "Well, I also want to get back into nursing. I haven't been away from Austin for very long so I hope to find work soon. If not, then I'll just take some classes while I continue my job search. Either way, it will be wonderful to make my own decisions again. Plus, my family is very supportive of my choices, so I think it will all work out."

"Has anyone from the FBI taken your statements yet?" asked Teresa.

"Mr. Abbott said someone will contact us very soon, while our memories are fresh" answered Hannah. "I actually can't wait to tell someone what I saw at the Ranch. The sooner I can get the truth out the better. And then there's the trial…" she said seriously.

"You'll be fine, both of you. We all have to testify as to what happened to us at the Ranch, so we're in this together. You're strong and brave, and the worst is over. The trial will just be the final nail in Michael's coffin" Jane assured the two women.

"Ok, if you say so…" said Evie shyly.

"I do. I've been to a few trials in my time and believe me, you will do very well" he added.

Evie's cell phone buzzed and she quickly excused herself to check a text. "I'm sorry Mr. Jane, but our parents are here to take us to a late supper."

"It was wonderful to see you again. We wish both of you the best!" said Hannah, getting up to go with Evie.

"Thank you for coming. Be happy" said Jane, smiling as they said their goodbyes to Lisbon. When they were gone he relaxed against his pillows and smiled at Teresa.

"See? Nice women who meant me no harm" he grinned.

"Yes they are. I hope everything works out for them. The trial will be scary for them I think, rehashing all the bad stuff they endured" said Lisbon with concern.

Jane nodded. "Yes, especially Evie. Michael raped her. Hannah just managed to escape the same fate. I hope they get counselling to deal with all of it."

"They will. And if they need support they can always talk to me" said Lisbon. Jane smiled at her big hearted offer.

"Thank you my dear."

He said nothing of his own sexual assault by Michael. He wasn't sure if he would mention it during his statement, or just try to forget about it. After all, he had fought back, breaking the bastard's nose. Hell, that's what started the whole chain of events that ultimately led to Jane escaping. What would bringing it up do for him, or do to Michael now? Jane would have to come to terms with it either alone, or with Teresa's help, should he eventually admit it to her. He looked up at her lovely face and decided he didn't have to make a decision tonight, not when they were both so happy. He held his arms out to her and she came around and sat next to Jane on the bed again. She stayed there until the nurse on duty encouraged her to go home to let Jane rest. Tomorrow would be a big day.


	37. Hola Senor Jane

Ok, back from a couple of days away. Thank you to all the reviewers who let me know what you thought of the last chapter. Very good input. This chapter was ready to go so without delay... here it is. Oh, and I know the Spanish in this chapter needs accents on certain letters, but my keyboard won't let me put them on the words!

The Messenger

Chapter 37

Hola Senor Jane!

Jane settled down for the night, eager for the morning to come. His excitement kept him awake long enough that finally his nurse added a small sedative to his meds to let him relax and get the sleep he needed. Soon he was snoring deeply, the medication shutting down his brain so much that dreams never had a chance to wend their way into his subconscious.

The clatter of meal trays woke Jane with a start the next morning. 'Hospitals were the noisiest place for sick people to be', he grumbled to himself. However, this would be his last day here so his annoyance soon turned to excited anticipation. He managed to get himself to the bathroom with his crutches and got washed as well as possible before his breakfast arrived. It was the usual dreck but he knew a wonderful cup of tea and fresh fruit most likely awaited him at Lisbon's house. He only had time to eat a muffin before a nurse came in to escort him down to the fracture clinic to get his foot put into a walking cast. Jane had never experienced this so he was keen to see what was involved. Every new experience was stimulating for him. The doctor there was kind enough to show him the x-ray of his foot, the broken bone clearly visible. After putting a white stocking on his foot, the technician proceeded to put a fibreglass cast with a rubber heel in the base around his ankle and across his whole foot. It would supply enough support for him to gently walk on his foot once the pain subsided. All in all Jane found the whole procedure educational. He had his choice of a cast in a variety of neon colours, something that would appeal to children no doubt, but he settled for boring old white. The whole thing dried remarkably fast and soon he was on his way back to his room to await his discharge.

When he arrived back in his room in a wheelchair Jane was pleasantly surprised to see Lisbon waiting for him by his bed. She had a mug of Darjeeling tea in her hand for him, and a pastry from Marie's to sweeten the deal.

"Well if it isn't Hopalong Cassidy" she teased him, seeing the large white "anchor" on his ankle.

"It's the latest fashion, everybody wants one" Jane said like a diva, standing up to grab onto the side of his bed.

"The doctor will be in shortly to have you sign your release papers Mr. Jane" the nurse informed him.

"Thank you" he replied, smiling at Teresa as he reached for his steaming tea.

Teresa came over to him once the nurse left and gave him a warm kiss and a hug. "I brought you some clothes, but I see now that the pants won't fit over your cast. Oops!" she said, worried about what he could wear home.

"What about jogging pants?" Jane suggested. "Not very attractive but it's better than cutting up a perfectly good pair of trousers."

"OK. Let me run out to the mall down the street and I'll buy a cheap pair for you to wear for the next few days. Gives you a chance to finish your tea and wait for the doctor. Good idea?" Teresa asked, feeling silly that she hadn't considered how he would get dressed now.

"Good idea...thanks. I'll be waiting…" he said, settling down on the bed to enjoy his pastry. He could get used to this type of service!

Lisbon grabbed her bag and left his room while he ate his snack and sipped his tea. He had almost finished both when his doctor arrived, paperwork in hand.

"Ah good. I see you've been to the fracture clinic nice and early!" he said. "If you get there too late you end up sitting for ages until a space frees up. Ready to go home?" he asked cheerfully.

"As soon as my pants arrive I'll be on my way" replied Jane, covering up his bare legs with the blanket. Somehow now he felt exposed!

The doctor came forward and indicated where Jane had to sign to be released, then lectured him again on the necessity of resting and taking things slowly. Jane solemnly promised to do exactly what the doctor told him to do. Anything to go home with Lisbon! Soon after the doctor left Teresa was back in Jane's room with a plastic bag of goodies.

"I got you two pair of jogging pants with zippers up the sides by the ankles, plus a comfy t-shirt and slippers, even though you only need one…" she laughed. "Then I got some licorice, popcorn, and a board game. I know how quickly you get bored when you can't keep busy" she added.

Jane examined the treasures she had had found and smiled deeply. "These pants are excellent Teresa! Thank you. I may never wear them again when the cast comes off but for now they are perfect. And the game is one I've been meaning to buy anyway, so thanks again. Maybe we can eat those snacks during a movie tonight?"

"Or not...remember the doctor said not too much TV or movie watching until your brain has had a chance to heal?"

Jane looked disappointed. What were they going to do to keep amused? Reading his mind, Teresa came over to him and put her arm around his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll find something to keep you occupied" she said with a wicked grin. Jane reached up and wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back, planting a wet kiss on her neck.

"I'll keep you to that promise woman!"

"Well maybe you'd better start with putting your pants on first Mister" she grinned.

Jane stood up with her help and eased off his bathrobe. She gave him some privacy while he got the rest of his clothes on, not wanting to stare at him the whole time. She did catch a glimpse of the black and blue bruises on his chest and back and made a mental note to touch him very gently when they did go to bed together that night. His eagerness to sleep with her had to be tempered with caution after all.

Lisbon tidied up his room, gathering his few possessions while he put on the new t-shirt and pants. When she turned back to check on him, he was dressed and ready to go. She had to admit, the t-shirt was clinging nicely to his muscles, and was a pleasant change from his more dressy attire. She could get used to him in jeans and tight t-shirts! Now they had to wait for a nurse to come back with a wheelchair. Itching to just get going, Jane rang his buzzer at the side of his bed to hurry things along, not caring if it annoyed anyone.

A few minutes later a nurse arrived with a wheelchair, grinning at his antics.

"I was coming for you Mr. Jane. Are you ready to leave this hotel so soon?" she teased him.

"I am ready and yes, hard as it is to leave this wonderful place, my home is calling me" he said to her happily. Lisbon felt a happy little tug in her heart when she heard him call her house his home.

"OK then, let's get you downstairs and on your way" the nurse laughed, smiling at Lisbon. The trip downstairs didn't take long and soon Teresa had Jane loaded into her FBI issue SUV. It was big enough for him to ride in comfortably with his large, casted foot.

"Home Sir?" she asked Jane.

"Soon" he answered cryptically.

"I thought you couldn't wait to get to my house" she said, a bit disappointed.

"Oh I am looking forward to that, don't worry. But I want to make a pit stop on the way."

"OK...where to then?" Lisbon asked, curious to see what he had up his sleeve.

"Can you drive downtown, then turn onto South Congress?" he asked, gazing casually out of his passenger window.

"Sure...but what are you planning to do there?" she asked, not understanding what he needed to do there so soon after getting out of the hospital.

"Just drive and I'll let you know. Don't worry, you'll like it" he grinned mysteriously. They drove for 10 minutes in the mid-morning traffic and finally passed the Capitol building.

"Almost there" smiled Jane.

Lisbon frowned at him, curious as to what he was up to. She turned onto South Congress Street and shot him a questioning look.

"Where do I go?"

Jane sat up and pointed ahead. "Park in the next block, by the church on the left" he instructed her. Teresa did as he said and then turned off the car.

"Now what?"

"Now you help me out of the car and we go over there" he smiled, pointing at the Tex-Mex Taco restaurant they had planned to have supper at those many days ago when he ended up almost dying in a flash flood.

Seeing the understanding in her eyes, he got up on his crutches and hobbled alongside her to the corner.

"I owe you tacos on the patio. Circumstances took that away from us and so I am correcting that right now. I called and reserved a table for lunch on the patio when you were out shopping. I hope you're hungry?" he asked, pleased to have surprised her completely.

"I am actually! I didn't have breakfast and I was just going to make sandwiches when we got home. This is much better! Thank you Patrick" she beamed.

"My pleasure" he grinned, following her across the busy road. The restaurant didn't really have a patio so to speak, but rather had tables and chairs under an extended roof, so that diners could sit outside and watch the craziness of South Congress Street roll by. Hours could be spent munching freshly made nachos and queso with salsa. They were so good it was hard to leave room for the actual meal when it came. And so Patrick and Teresa made their way to the covered sitting area where Jane was warmly greeted by Miguel, who had been told to watch for a tall blonde man walking with crutches, accompanied by a dark haired woman.

"Ah Senor Jane, buenos dias! Como estas?" Miguel asked him, leading he and Teresa to a prime table in the shade.

"Estoy bien, gracias!" replied Jane, impressing Lisbon.

"Ooo, look who can speak Spanish!" teased Lisbon, never good with languages in school.

"I had to make myself understood when I was on the island. My Spanish is 'malo', but I got by."

"Well it's better than mine so congratulations." Teresa looked around and admired the location and the surprise Jane had cooked up for her.

"Thank you for this by the way" she said softly, reaching for his hand across the table. "I thought we would have to wait quite a while to make up for that missed date."

"I kept you waiting long enough. I thought about this the whole time I was stuck out in the desert, so when I found out I was being discharged from the hospital, I made arrangements with Miguel to come here for an early lunch, before it gets really busy."

"It's perfect, thank you" Teresa smiled, then buried her head in the very large menu. Jane followed suit and between them ordered a variety of Tex-Mex dishes that would fill them up for most of the rest of the day.

"Try the fish tacos Teresa, they are fantastic! And the fried pickles, so good" enthused Jane, delighting in the choices available to him.

"We have to save room for dessert though" said Teresa reasonably.

"Yes...yes we do...and for that, we will go over there!" said Jane, turning and pointing across the road to a small ice cream shop on the other side of the street. Judging from the line up, that was the place to buy the best ice cream.

"Amy's Ice Cream. They have 7 standard flavours and hundreds of specialty flavours, depending on when you visit. It is ice cream heaven Teresa!" he informed her.

"And you know this how?" she asked him as their drinks were delivered. Jane looked at her seriously, offended that she thought he wouldn't know about an Austin tradition.

"As I've no doubt told you before my dear...my mind, is a mighty fortress. Information goes in and is trapped there until it is no longer required. Then I set it free to make room for more information."

"You read an ad in the hospital newspaper" Teresa deadpanned.

"Ah yup" he admitted quickly, taking a big gulp of his Italian soda.

"Smart ass" she groused, eyeing the food going by on a waiter's tray.

"So, Amy's it is!" he announced, not at all put off by her evaluation of his fake knowledge.

"First...fried pickles!" Teresa commanded as Miguel brought the first of many plates of food, hot, spicy, steaming and juicy. As they made their way through the lunch, their conversation fell off while they just enjoyed their meal and the ebb and flow of tourists and townies walking by. There was no rush, no hurry to get back to work or anywhere else. After another round of non-alcoholic drinks because of Jane's pain meds, they relaxed and held hands, savouring their 'date'.

"I am so full of food I may not be able to walk back to the car" groaned Teresa.

"Me neither. So I guess we'll just enjoy the day and wait until we can move. Deal?" agreed Jane.

"Deal. Then ice cream!" reminded Teresa.

"Oh woman, at this rate I may not make it home at all!" warned Jane.

Teresa grinned and leaned over to her handsome man. "I love it when you call my house your home. Feels good to hear it."

"Feels good to say it" smiled Jane, mesmerized by her green eyes. Eventually it was time to leave, and Teresa helped Jane up and out onto the sidewalk. The street was buzzing with activity as the locals were out shopping and enjoying a late lunch in the sun, and the tourists were taking photos of anything that moved. A normal day for Austin. Once they were across the road Lisbon made a bee-line for Amy's ice cream shop. Jane hobbled along but sat at a picnic table while Lisbon stood in line for her turn. The list of ice cream and frozen yogurt flavours was impressive, as Jane said it would be. Now hard decisions would have to be made. Lisbon turned to ask Jane what flavour he wanted but was alarmed to see him put his folded arms down on the table top, his head nestled in the crook of his elbow. He was exhausted. OK, no ice cream cones, not today. She stepped up to the window and ordered two small tubs of ice cream to go, which they could eat later after Jane had a nap.

Grasping her heavy bag of ice cream, Lisbon joined Jane at the table and shook his shoulder, rousing him from a light doze.

"Tired?"

"Of course not, just resting my eyes."

"Come on...time to go home and take a nap!" Lisbon commanded her stubborn man.

"I'm fine, really.." Jane protested, but a large yawn gave him away. "OK, maybe a tiny nap, just to settle my stomach" he finally acquiesced.

"So it's your stomach that is tired is it?" she teased.

"Well it is working hard to digest all that food Lisbon" he grumbled, sorry he had worn himself out so quickly. He had overestimated his capacity for activity so soon after being released from the hospital.

"Let's go home. You lay down for a nap and I'll get some things organized around the house. Later on when our lunch has settled, we can sample the ice cream I bought."

"Sounds good."

Teresa eased into the crush of traffic and hit the highway to get home as quickly as possible. Leave it to Jane to plan too much, too soon, after being beaten up, shot in the head and thrown down a hole in the ground. She chastised herself for going along with his lunch plan, but knew deep down that to refuse it would have hurt Jane. He wanted to please her and make up for the stress he caused her when he disappeared. She knew him so well now after all these years. Sometimes it was better to let his plans play out and handle the consequences later.

Fifteen minutes later the SUV pulled up to her driveway and Lisbon walked ahead of Jane to unlock the door. Jane stepped into her little foyer and eyed the sofa over in the small living room. Before he could drape himself across its soft surface, Teresa guided him towards her staircase.

"Bed, now!" she ordered Jane.

"I can sleep on the sofa, listen to you putter around" he protested, to no avail. Strong arms pushed him towards the bottom stair and Lisbon guided him carefully up, ignoring his protests, until he and his crutches reached the hallway upstairs.

"You're a hard hearted woman Agent Lisbon!" he moaned, seeing her throw open her bedroom door.

"Yes I am, but at least I am making you go and lie down in MY bed. You can't honestly deny that you wanted that invitation years ago" she smirked.

As Jane shuffled past her and sat on the bed, he smiled at her and nodded.

"The idea did cross my mind, once or a hundred times…"

Teresa took his crutches and leaned them against the wall where he could reach them if the need arose, then she helped him swing his heavy fibreglass encased foot onto the bed, propped up on two pillows. While Jane shimmied down to get comfy on the large bed, she found a comforter to throw over him while he slept.

"Try to rest OK? This was a big day for you and you don't want to overdue it. When you wake up later we can figure out what to do for supper and have an easy night."

She leaned over Jane and kissed his upturned face gently. Jane raised his hands and brought them up to her cheeks, guiding her face back to his so that he could kiss her deeply.

"Thank you for everything Teresa. You take such good care of me."

"It's my pleasure Patrick. Now, try to sleep" she smiled, pulling away.

As she made her way to the door, Patrick called out to her.

"Is your dance card filled yet?"

Lisbon looked puzzled by the old fashioned reference to 'dance cards'.

"Why?"

"Put my name down for the 'Horizontal Mambo' he grinned lasciviously. "I got rhythm…" he hummed softly, enjoying the blush rising on Teresa's cheeks.

"Will do. The Mambo will be all yours" she smiled, shutting the door softly. Jane sighed deeply and pulled the comforter close to his chin, his tiredness settling heavily on his eyes. He slowly drifted off with a peacefulness only being near Teresa could bring.


	38. A Painful Truth

Another chapter was ready so why not publish? This is longish, but so much needed to be covered. Also, I do not write sex scenes. They are not my forte or my great desire to write them. However, I had to write one in this chapter as it just naturally would have occurred. So, forgive me if I am light on smut, but my more genteel nature just wanted to convey the idea of it more than spell out the graphic bits and pieces. Anyway, here we go.

The Messenger

Chapter 38

A Painful Truth

Teresa got busy downstairs while Patrick slept in her bed upstairs. She ordered in some groceries, to be delivered by the grocery store in the neighbourhood. Going out would mean Jane was left alone and she didn't want him to wake up to an empty and silent house. She started a load of laundry to make sure she had enough clean towels and sheets. Jane had effectively moved in, until he was well enough to move back to his Airstream. Just the idea of him living alone in that aluminium tube made her sad, but he loved it and the freedom it represented. She was still learning to understand his thought processes, and was quite sure that no matter how long they lived together, he would remain a mystery to her.

The washing machine was humming, the coffee maker was bubbling and Teresa put some soft jazz on the cd player while she made a salad for later that night. Neither of them would be very hungry after that huge lunch, but salad, crusty French bread with fresh cheese and ice cream for dessert would be enough. Then she went upstairs to quietly put fresh towels in the linen closet in her bathroom.

Patrick had been asleep for a couple of hours and now his brain was busy dreaming and reliving his days at the ranch. The stress of the dream was playing across his face, clearly visible to anyone who happened to check in on him. Lying flat on his back, eyes closed, Patrick heard his bedroom door open, then footsteps glided across the floor. Someone was standing close to his bed, watching him. He could feel it. Slowly the blanket covering his body was lowered to his waist and Patrick felt a hand slide inside his pajama top, rubbing his chest, playing with his nipples. His muscles involuntarily tensed up, his desire to recoil from the unwanted touching an impossibility. He wanted to roll over, get away, but couldn't, his body felt heavy and tied down. Then the hand travelled further, the sound of heavy breathing close to his face. The hand was hot, heavy, sweaty, and moved under the waistband of his pajama bottoms, exploring his groin expertly, until it cupped his genitals softly. A soft growl issued from Patrick's throat and he shifted his body away from the intruder, but still the hand remained firmly grasping his testicles, squeezing him and prodding his length curiously. Jane wanted the hand to disappear, the intruder to leave, but he was powerless to make that happen. Finally unable to endure it another minute Patrick flailed in the bed to throw off the unwanted assailant, a shout of "Get the hell off me!" rising up out of his chest as loudly as he could manage. The door sprang open and Teresa saw Patrick sitting up, panting and sweating, his eyes huge, pupils fully dilated in fear and anger.

"Patrick! What's wrong? Are you alright?" she shouted as she ran across the room to his side.

Patrick turned and looked at her in confusion, then cast his gaze around the small bedroom, trying to locate his abuser.

"I…. it was just... uh…" he muttered, turning back to face Teresa with a mixture of anxiety and relief. It was just a dream. A very real and ugly dream.

Teresa studied his face and knew this was not his normal nightmare induced panic. This was something entirely different. He always admitted it when he had had a nightmare, but now, he was speechless.

Teresa sat gingerly on the side of the bed and took Patrick's head in her arms, cradling it against her chest.

"What happened? What's wrong?" she asked him again, softly this time. Patrick held onto her like a lifeline and said nothing, for a time, then pulled away and wiped his face with his hands.

"I had a dream" he said quietly, controlling his breathing now.

"Yes, I can see that. But what about? It was pretty upsetting from the way you're acting" she agreed.

Patrick nodded and looked everywhere but at Teresa. God he had wanted to just forget about Michael and his sexual proclivities. It was just the once, and it was only unwanted touching. It's not like Michael had raped him…

But he felt violated all the same. Quickly thinking of Miriam, he could only imagine how she had felt when her Messiah destroyed her self worth with her 'graduation' rape. Jane licked his dry lips and turned back to face Teresa. She needed to know. She might see him do this again and he couldn't lie to her, not time and again.

Jane sat up and leaned against the headboard. "Could I have a glass of water please?" he asked, gathering his thoughts. Lisbon got up silently and returned with a glass of cold water, putting it in his hands. She waited.

Jane drank all of it and placed the glass on the night stand, then turned to his worried woman.

"I had a dream. Actually, more like a flashback, about the Ranch, and what happened there" he began. Teresa waited, letting him spool out the story at his own speed.

"I was stuck in the hospital with a broken foot and a pretty bad migraine from the concussion. They kept me well sedated…."

Lisbon took his hand, and just nodded. This she knew, so what was he working up to?

"Michael was very interested in me. Not just as a potential convert, but...as an object of his desires" he explained.

Lisbon looked pained. This was sounding ugly very quickly. "His desires?"

"His sexual desires. He was attracted to the young and pretty girls who joined the cult, but he also was drawn to some of the men. He was bi-sexual, apparently, and he wanted…..me."

Teresa felt a wave of revulsion rise up in her at what she was hearing, at the realization that Jane's time at the Ranch was not just about trying to get home, but also about avoiding Michaels unwanted advances towards him.

"He didn't… with you… ?" she tried to ask, but found the words hard to say.

Jane sighed heavily, smirking cynically. "Oh he tried, he certainly took his chances when I was out cold. That broken nose of his is my handiwork."

"I wondered how his nose got broken" Teresa admitted. "How'd that happen?"

Jane had told her so much, he might as well finish the story. "Michael ordered his head nurse Martha to keep me sedated enough to be confused and groggy. He came into my room when I was asleep. He put his hands on me, began touching me. I could feel what he was doing but was so out of it that I didn't realize who was there...not at first. Michael was certainly enjoying himself, so much so that he didn't notice me wake up and, well, I punched him in the nose to make him stop" Patrick said in a rush. There, he'd said it. He gazed at Teresa and gauged her reaction. Gradually a sly smile crept across her face.

"Good for you. Too bad you didn't break his jaw at the same time!" she said firmly. "Is that what you were dreaming about when I came in?"

Patrick nodded. "In my mind I was back in that bed and he was doing it again. I couldn't move. It was like my body was made of concrete and I couldn't fight back. I feel so stupid to be upset by it now."

"Don't say that Patrick! You feel what you feel, that's normal. The fact that he molested you but didn't rape you makes no difference. He sexually assaulted you when you were purposely drugged and helpless. That's a whole new set of charges that can be brought against him Patrick, if you decide to go tell the court."

Teresa took him into her arms again and stroked his hair, like a mother consoling a frightened child.

"You have every right to feel violated because you were Patrick. If Michael had done the same thing to me, how do you think I would feel about it?" Teresa asked him reasonably.

Patrick sat up and stared into her concerned eyes. She was right. What difference did it make that a man was molested instead of a woman? He shook his head, frustrated by his feelings and humbled by her unwavering support and love.

"If Michael had touched you Teresa...I would have done more to him than a broken nose" he said softly.

"That's not what I asked and you know it. I would have felt used, violated, like a piece of garbage, a thing to be played with and then discarded without a second thought. That's how I would feel. And that's how you feel, isn't it?"

Patrick looked off into the distance, his mind a jumble of thoughts and feelings. Shame, anger, relief that Teresa understood, a desire for vengeance, worry...worry that he would continue to re-live the attack over and over again.

"Yes, that's exactly how I feel. Usually you want me to sleep, but now, when I do, I just see Michael hovering over me time after time."

"Then you need help" suggested Teresa. Jane shook his head emphatically, no.

"I don't want some quack inside my head Teresa! Dr. Miller was an exceptional doctor and if she was alive today, maybe I'd go see her, but no. I'm done with that."

Sighing deeply, Teresa shifted herself more onto the bed, leaning back against the headboard like Patrick.

"So what do we do now Patrick? This could go on for quite a while. Is that what you want? Because I don't want to see you go through another bout of insomnia and night terrors caused by a madman. Not again!" she added, upset that his newly happy life was upended again.

"I honestly don't know Teresa. I was hoping I left it all behind at the hospital. But now...maybe I just have to give it time and hope my dreams go away by themselves."

Teresa turned to face the man she loved. "Will you mention the attack in your statement to the FBI? And don't just say no without thinking Patrick. Keep in mind that Michael did this to many people, not just you. Those people need backup and validation. Michael needs to be charged with sexual assault and rape along with his other crimes. Before you decide to sweep it all under the rug, consider what you would counsel another victim to do" she said seriously.

Jane turned back to her, knowing she was absolutely right. If he was talking to a victim he would tell him or her to lay a charge, to send the bastard to jail for as long as possible. He had to be as brave as those people. To do any less would be a cop-out.

"Give me some time, to work through it. Please" he added. "I can't argue against anything you've said, but, I just have to come to terms with it."

"Take the time you need, do what you have to do, and promise me you will come to me when you need help" Teresa agreed.

"OK. Thank you."

Jane sat up and ran his hands through his hair, emotionally wrung out. He felt dirty and badly wanted a shower, more to lift his spirits than for reasons of cleanliness.

"Help me into the shower?" he asked Teresa.

"Sure. That will feel good. We'll need to wrap your foot up in a big plastic bag first. Then, how about I join you in there?" she smiled, glad that he was willing to try to deal with his issues.

"Best idea so far today" Patrick said as he made his way over to her small bathroom.

Teresa ran downstairs and returned with scissors, packing tape and a large garbage bag. Jane had removed his clothes and was standing with a towel loosely tied around his waist.

"This won't be pretty but it should work for a while" she said, bending down to cover his cast in plastic. It took some fiddling, but eventually she managed to cover it enough to ensure that the whole foot remained dry during the shower.

Turning on the water, she put a small plastic stool inside the shower stall and commanded Jane to sit on it. He dropped his towel and got inside, sitting in the warm spray of water while she disrobed, then joined him.

"Teresa, you think of everything!" Jane said enthusiastically, looking up at her glistening, beautiful body. "I should sit in the shower all the time!" he grinned, as he enjoyed the view from his lowered position. Teresa just whapped him in the shoulder as he grabbed her around the butt and drew her into his embrace. His face was about level with her belly button and the soft nest of dark curls sitting directly underneath.

"Yes, this will do nicely" he murmured, running his hands gently up and down her backside. As his tongue poked into her bellybutton she let out a moan of pleasure.

Teresa smiled deeply, a warm rush of sexual desire rising up from her core to her foggy brain. This man drove her crazy! She wanted him so badly but would enjoy this little interlude first, to let him unwind and relax, in his own way. While he sat with his face buried in her pubic hair, she reached for the shampoo and gently lathered up his hair, running her hands through his wet curls, massaging his scalp as the water pounded down on their intertwined bodies.

"Ohhhh…. that feels wonderful Teresa" Patrick moaned. She worked his hair into a rich mass of bubbles then let the shower stream rinse it clean. Next came the conditioner that he preferred to use to tame his unruly curls. She loved watching him get ready in the morning when he slept over at her house. He had a precise method to set his curls and keep them under control, for the most part. For years she had wanted to touch his hair but never dared. Now she could play with his curls any time she pleased. Teresa rinsed off the conditioner and then sat on his knee, leaning in to kiss his wet face. His hot tongue pierced her lips and searched every corner of her mouth, sucking her tongue in and out, ravishing her mouth with desire.

Coming up for air, he stared at her flushed face and breathed out his love for her.

"I never want to be away from you again. You saved me Teresa, you saved me from myself so many times. I love you with everything in me" he whispered in her ear, kissing her pink earlobe softly.

"I love you Patrick. I always did, from the first time we worked together. God help me...I loved you even then."

Their embrace tightened and when they both were on the verge of drowning in the heavy stream of water they finally broke apart and laughed at themselves.

"I know, I know...we're acting like a couple of horney teenagers!" Teresa laughed.

"Isn't that what we are?" teased Jane, reaching for the body wash. Grabbing the shower pouf, he filled it with soap and began to wash every inch of Teresa's body, building up a mass of bubbles, sculpting them across her flat abdomen and around her breasts like a road on a map.

"Turn around" he asked her softly, intent on his work. She complied and he admired, yet again, the dimples above her butt and the soft curve of her spine. She was perfection. He ran the shower pouf up and down her back, then lathered her ass lovingly, massaging her cheeks with his hands, then let them stray further down, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from Lisbon's throat.

"I want you, here, now" he said huskily, his passion rising, both emotionally and very physically as well.

Teresa turned around and looked at his erect penis, then saw the gleam in his eyes. She wanted him now too, but to have a lusty encounter in the shower might cause another accident, so she reached for the dial and turned off the water.

"Hurry...let's get dry and keep this going" she encouraged Jane, helping him out of the shower. They both dried each other off, further increasing their need for release.

"Enough!" barked Jane, dry enough for now. He had other things on his mind. Grabbing Teresa's hand for balance, he thumped his way over to the bed and then let his body flop down on the mattress. He lay splayed out, his plastic encased foot an odd sight considering their naked state.

"Come here woman" he whispered, reaching out for Teresa. She fell into his arms and lay down full length on top of him.

"Oh hello there Mister!" Teresa teased, feeling his stiff penis grind into her belly.

"Anyone ever tell you you talk too much?" asked Jane before he kissed her like she had never been kissed before. Her hands caressed his face, wiping his dripping curls off his forehead. Jane reached around and grasped her back, drawing her in tightly to his chest.

"Care to dance?" he breathed out as his legs encircled her body.

"Only if we do the Mambo" she replied, reaching down to feel his length as it tried to find her core. She lifted herself up and then settled down on him, their rhythm slow and easy at first, then faster as they both lost themselves in making love. Jane thought of nothing but how much he loved this wonderful woman, here finally with him and letting him give 100% of himself to her. She was the vessel he needed to feel alive again, worthy again, whole again.

Teresa let all of her passion flow out and into Jane as well. She had feared just a couple of days ago she would never see him again, and yet here she was, being made love to by a man who left her breathless, sated and fulfilled. They moved as one, in tune with each other in a way that only comes with complete trust and the desire to make the other person happy. It was love, pure and simple.

Their bodies could no longer hold off the need for release and they came together, moaning and sweating, kissing each other hungrily, then laughing at themselves.

"Yep… definitely 17 years old again" Jane mumbled, wiping a wet hair out of Teresa's eyes.

"At this rate we'll never grow old" Teresa reasoned. "I think we just found the Fountain of Youth."

"Good. Because I could go again" Jane said lustily.

"Maybe you could, but not me. Come on! Get up and put some clothes on!" Teresa commanded him.

"Whatever for? This is just fine with me" grumbled Jane, reaching for her body again.

"Trust me, we'll be doing this little dance again very soon, but I need a cup of coffee, some supper, and that ice cream you assured me was the best ever" Teresa teased him as she got up and put on some pretty underwear. She made sure to wiggle her ass enticingly as she headed for the bathroom to put on some body lotion. Jane lay back and moaned like a spoiled child.

"You never let me have any fun!" he huffed, then he got up and grabbed his crutches, thumping his way to his set of drawers to find some underwear and a robe. No need to get completely dressed so late in the day. He joined Lisbon in the small bathroom and applied mousse to his hair before it dried in a tangle of curls. She watched in fascination, never tiring of seeing his artistry with his hair.

"Ready for some tea and a bit to eat?" she asked as he headed out of the bedroom.

"Sounds good. But you go down the stairs first" Jane advised her.

"Oh? Why?" she asked innocently, falling into his trap.

"So that I'll have something soft to land on if I fall" he smirked, hobbling over to the top of the stairs.

"Be careful, I could just give you a push and then eat all the ice cream myself."

"You're a wicked woman Teresa Lisbon!" Jane admonished her as she stepped in front of him.

"Yes I am, and don't you ever forget it!" she smiled, guiding him down each step.


	39. A Trip to the Island

Ok, getting down to the wire now. Almost at the end of this story. Thank you to everyone who took the time to pass a comment about the story and to let me get to know you a little bit in your PM's. Very kind of you! Here is a chapter to tide you over the weekend.

The Messenger

Chapter 39

A Trip to the Island

Patrick settled himself on the sofa while Teresa poured herself a cup of coffee and set the kettle on to boil for tea. The salad was ready and next a few sandwiches were arranged on a large plate. The crusty French bread was piled high with an assortment of cheeses and cold cuts. Teresa took a large serving tray and put two bowls of salad and the sandwiches on, along with her coffee and Jane's tea. The coffee table was cleared of books and remotes for the TV, so that she could deposit her tray in front of the sofa.

"This looks wonderful!" Patrick enthused, seeing the fresh food and especially the tea. Although he missed having a good strong drink when he was rescued, he could wait for that until it was safe to drink again when his meds were finished.

"Dig in" said Teresa, handing him his bowl of salad and a sandwich. Both sat back and enjoyed their simple meal in silence, occasionally glancing at each other in contentment. This was what Jane had missed all those lonely lonely years without a wife to come home to. The peace that comes from simply being in the same room with the person you love, whether you even speak to each other or not. Just being...together. It had been hours since their Mexican feast and the food went down very well. By the time the ice cream came out some 40 minutes later, Patrick lay back against the cushions, his stomach sated and a smile glued to his face.

"That was delicious, thank you" he smiled, appreciating Teresa's efforts anew.

"Thanks! And the ice cream was as good as you promised. How will I ever go back to ordinary grocery store ice cream again?" she teased him.

"We'll manage on our meagre earnings somehow" Patrick played along. Teresa would never have to worry about money again. Between her good salary at the FBI, Jane's consulting fees at the same agency, and the huge amount of money squirrelled away in his many bank accounts all over the world, Patrick knew they would never have to worry about money a day in their lives. If only Teresa knew just how much money Patrick had she would most likely faint. Thinking of money, he mentally made a note to get out to a jewellery store as soon as possible. He desperately wanted to find the perfect engagement ring for Teresa, cost be damned.

He had been thinking long and hard about how and when to propose to her. He wasn't a 'get down on one knee' kind of man. No, he needed that moment to be intimate and quiet, in a place that had meaning for both of them and that they would always remember as their special spot. An idea had been brewing in his mind about just that place. He had really enjoyed working on the cabin by the lake, surprising himself and Teresa even moreso about his ability to plan and carry out the renovations on what would become their home. His foot would slow him down a bit but he was determined to get back to the cabin and swing a hammer as soon as possible. He set himself a timeline to accomplish his goals. The cast would come off his foot in a couple of weeks, and barring any unforeseen catastrophes, he intended to propose to Teresa down by the lake, on their special log as soon as he could walk unaided again. He had waited so long, the last couple of weeks would seem like forever now. He would use that time to think about what he would say to her. He knew he had to speak from his heart. Anything less would dishonor the woman who had waited so long and faithfully for him.

A small smile graced his lips as he lay back and contemplated all these things while Teresa carried the tray back to the kitchen. He was 99% sure she would say 'yes' when he asked her to marry him, but she was still a mystery to him after all these years. That 1% of doubt niggled away at him and would continue to do so until he finally asked her his big question. Until then, he had to deal with his interview with Cho about his kidnapping and sexual assault, forcible confinement and attempted murder. A large sigh issued from him as Teresa re-entered the room.

"Something wrong? Are you feeling OK?" she asked with concern, seeing his face change from contentment to concern so quickly.

Patrick rearranged his facial features to something less serious and smiled at her.

"Oh I'm fine, really. I was just thinking about Cho's visit and what he's going to be asking me."

"Oh yeah...that…" Teresa muttered, suddenly serious herself.

"Would it be easier for you if someone you don't know interviewed you? You know, someone not so close to you?" she asked.

Patrick didn't answer right away. Would that make what he had to say any easier to admit? Would a stranger be easier to look at when he talked about Michael or would it be better to see Cho's dispassionate face, knowing he could separate the crime from the victim? Patrick knew what he would prefer.

"You're an FBI agent. I wish you could debrief me" he said sincerely. "Could you interview me?"

Teresa was taken aback by his request. She had never considered doing the interview since she and Jane were a couple. Would it be a conflict of interest? Would it colour the evidence gathering process and cause his testimony to be thrown out of court?

She sat down next to Patrick and took his hand in hers. "I would love to be the one to question you, if that would make the process easier on you. But I'm not sure Abbott would sanction it. Rules, you know…" she smiled gently.

"Rules. Always rules" Patrick echoed her. "But rules wouldn't change what happened to me would they Teresa?"

She shook her head. Of course he was right. His story would not change no matter who came and spoke with him. A small idea settled in her mind.

"I think I may have a way to make this much easier for you. Let me speak to Abbott and Cho first thing in the morning" she began before Jane cut her off.

"Abbott lives by rules too Teresa" he interjected.

"And he will...but rules can be bent a little bit, sometimes" she smiled. "Leave it to me."

Patrick saw how determined she was. This had to be a very good idea or she wouldn't have even considered it. Deciding to let it go tonight since nothing more could done at this late hour, he sipped his tea and ran his hand through Teresa's hair.

"Ok. I will leave it with you. Thanks for trying to be subversive on my behalf."

Teresa grinned at his characterization. Subversive… well that was a new way to look at herself!

"What would you like to do before bedtime? And no movies or TV today - doctor's orders!" she reminded him.

"Well, aside from the obvious" he grinned lustily, "I have an idea. Could you get down that box of letters I wrote to you from the island?" Jane asked. Teresa had shown him her letters when he was brought to Texas and he was remarkably humbled that she had kept every single one of them.

Teresa was intrigued by his request. What was he thinking of doing with her letters? She took the box containing them from a shelf on the living room wall and brought it over to the sofa, putting it in Jane's lap. He drained his tea and put his cup on the table.

"What do you want to do with them?" she asked. Jane had not read the letters since he wrote them what seemed like a very time long ago.

"I was thinking, what if we re-read the letters together, in order, and I could describe to you what I was doing and how I was feeling when I wrote each letter. I didn't have enough room in each letter to really go into detail about my life there on the island. But we have the time now."

Teresa was so touched by his offer her eyes teared up. "Oh Patrick, I would like that very much. So much about that time was a mystery to me. I had so many questions after each letter arrived."

Patrick took the first letter, since Teresa had organized them chronologically. "Ok, here we go" he said, opening the thin paper. Teresa snuggled into his body, placing his free arm around her shoulder while he read aloud.

"Dear Lisbon…"

They spent the next two hours going through the letters one by one, with Patrick expounding on his island life. They didn't get through them all, not that night, since he spoke so well and so long about every little detail burned into his memory. The rest of the letters could wait for another night. By the time he started yawning, Teresa had called a halt to their trip down to the island and told Jane it was time he went to bed. He protested until he had her solemn promise that she would go to bed with him this time.

"We both need to get some sleep. You've had a very busy day Jane" she admonished him when he was slow to get up.

"Yes Ma'am" he answered, grabbing his crutches. The cast on his foot was heavy but he certainly could move around much more comfortably now. He knew in a few days the cast would become a pain in the ass, but for now, he was happy to have it. He thumped his way over to the stairs while Teresa turned off the lights and locked all the doors. Then she got behind him to guide him up the stairs. It took no time at all for them to brush their teeth and get into their pajamas. Lisbon still favoured oversized t-shirts and panties to sleep in, and Jane preferred to wear comfy cotton men's pajamas. They curled up in each other's arms and after a few minutes of kissing and embracing gently, they rolled over to spoon each other, Teresa inside and Jane curved around her tiny body. This was what he loved, the feeling of surrounding Teresa completely with his body. Like a perfect pearl in a shell, he thought to himself with a smile. Before long they had both drifted off to a peaceful sleep. When the sun came through the curtains in the morning, both of them were amazed that they had slept solidly without interruption all night. Jane had had no nightmares or flashbacks. Being home with the woman he loved would perhaps be the cure he needed after all.


	40. A Problem Solved

Thank you to everyone who reviewed my one chapter story 'When I Grow Too Old To Dream'. Your input is so rewarding, and sorry if I made you cry! I have another chapter or two ready to go for this story, so here it is.

The Messenger

Chapter 40

A Problem Solved

Teresa rolled into Patrick's warm body and kissed him until he was fully awake. He murmured his approval at her method of rousing him from sleep. Now if only they had the time to do it this way every morning, he mused. His brain was not the only part of his body that was aroused by her kisses and to prove it he took her in his arms and pulled her on top of his body, gently. His chest and back still hurt from his bruises, but passion would trump pain every time. He caressed her tenderly, stroking her face with his long artistic fingers. Her jersey had rumpled up around her chest and he tugged at it, wanting it gone so he could more fully concentrate on her breasts.

"Time for this to go…" he muttered, lifting her arms up over her head so he could pull her top off in one swipe. "That's better" he grinned, gazing at her firm and very full breasts. Were they a bit bigger than normal? He ran his hands down her chest and across her tummy, pausing to rim her bellybutton.

"You are beautiful Teresa. Have I told you that lately?" he asked as she purred in his arms.

"I seem to recall a comment or two recently" she replied, basking in the warm glow of their love.

"Good. Just checking" he said, sliding his hands down further until they nestled in her pubic hair.

"Do me a favour" he whispered, kissing her nose.

"OK...what?"

"Don't ever shave all this off. I love it so much...so lovely and feminine" he admitted.

"How about the occasional bikini trim?" she replied, thinking his request quite silly.

"That I am all in favour of, but please don't mow the garden completely. We men find it very attractive you know" he smiled, brushing her dark curls into a tight swirl above her core. He was content to continue enjoying her perfect body, until the harsh ringing of Teresa's phone killed the moment.

"Don't answer it!" he muttered, staring at the thing as if to burn it to a crisp with his glare. Teresa leaned over to read the caller's name, then grabbed it, sitting up.

"It's Abbott!" she whispered to Jane, rolling off him and pulling up the sheet to cover her breasts.

"I'm pretty sure he can't see you Teresa…" said Patrick, as he slowly tugged the sheet downward and kissed her left nipple.

"Ah.. Hello Dennis!" she squeaked, a little too loudly to be a normal conversational tone. At the other end of the line Dennis Abbott grinned broadly, certain he had interrupted something quite nice at the Lisbon household. Nevertheless, he had business to carry out.

"Good Morning Lisbon. How's Jane today?" he asked, betraying nothing but professionalism in his voice.

She shoved Jane's head away from her chest and sat up straighter, waving him off her. Jane snickered at her discomfort and grabbed his crutches to hobble over to the bathroom while she took her call.

"Jane's doing very well. A bad flashback yesterday, but he had a good night, slept right through."

"Good to hear. Teresa, I'm sorry to bring this up so soon, but the DA wants us to move quickly on all the witness and victim statements. Charges will be brought against Michael, or Michel Vogel, for the death of his uncle and the theft of his life savings as well as the crimes committed at Refuge Ranch. We need to wrap up our end of things in the next day or two. Do you think Jane could come in and let Cho take his statement or would he prefer that Cho come out to the house today?" Abbott asked innocently.

Teresa wasn't happy that the case was moving so fast, before she had had a chance to talk to Abbott about Jane's situation. Dammit!

"I wanted to talk to you about that Dennis. I need to ask you a favour." Lisbon heard Jane whistling in the bathroom while he got washed at the sink. Now was her chance to run her idea past her boss.

"About Jane...he um...he told me some pretty difficult things yesterday about his time at the Ranch, and, I think it might be hard for him to tell Cho what he told me" she said in a rush.

Abbott was silent for a moment, a sinking feeling filling his stomach. "Go on."

Teresa took a deep breath and began. "Sir, Jane was sexually molested by Michael while he was drugged. He's decided to tell the court about it, but right now, he may find it difficult to face Cho and go into detail with him. They've been friends for a very long time" she continued.

"Would it be better if an agent Jane has never met took his statement?" asked Abbott.

"Possibly, but, I had another idea sir. What if Cho takes his statement about his kidnapping and his time at the ranch, but when it comes time to talk about the assault, well...I'm an agent too, and I was thinking that maybe I…"

"You want Jane to tell you his story, in an official capacity?" interrupted Abbott.

"Yes sir.'

"That would be highly unusual Teresa."

"But would it be against policy? After all, I'm an agent the same as Cho. What difference does it make in the written report who heard what? It all goes into evidence and a lawyer will use it against Michael, no matter who interviewed Patrick. Our relationship doesn't change my duties as an Agent in the Bureau."

Teresa heard Jane turning off the water and wanted this conversation to end, now. She didn't want Jane's happy mood to be crushed so early in the day.

"Leave it with me Lisbon. I'll get back to you in a little while with an answer."

"Text me?" asked Lisbon.

"Ok. Will do. Say 'hi' to Jane from me" Abbott finished before hanging up.

Teresa got up and joined Patrick in the bathroom. God he smelled good! His choices in soap and cologne made her weak in the knees.

"Everything OK?" he asked.

"Yup" she lied. "More charges will be brought against Michael. The DA wants to get moving on charging him with the death of his uncle and the mysterious disappearance of his life savings. The case against The Messenger just got a lot bigger."

"Well I'm sure there's a very cozy prison cell waiting for The Messenger somewhere in Texas. He can contemplate his numerous sins for a very long time. Looks good on him" grinned Jane.

Jane hobbled out of the bathroom to let Teresa get cleaned up. He grabbed the jogging pants and his undies, then a loose fitting cotton shirt. Might was well be comfortable if not sartorially correct. Once dressed, he made his way down the stairs carefully to put on the kettle for tea and started the coffee maker. By the time Lisbon came down in her bathrobe, the kitchen smelled inviting, with fresh coffee and bagels waiting for her to enjoy. Jane had the newspaper spread out on the kitchen table with a hot cup of tea resting by his hand. Teresa stood at the counter sipping her coffee, staring at her man, at peace, engrossed in reading the latest news. He looked content. The simplicity of the morning and the happiness it represented almost brought her to tears. Not that long ago, such a simple morning routine would have seemed like a fantasy, but here they were, blissfully domestic, sitting with the paper and brekkie, like an old married couple.

That brought a smile to her face which Jane immediately noticed.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I'm just happy" she answered.

"Come here" Jane beckoned her. Teresa took the three steps over to Jane and sat on his lap.

"Good morning Teresa. I love you" he said simply, then kissed her. She melted into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder.

"I love you too. Let's never go back to work" she said softly.

Jane looked at her quizzically. She was acting so emotional lately. What was all this softness and sentimentality about? Ah women...such a mystery. Lately he was having a hard time reading Lisbon.

He was out of practice. He was missing all the signs…..

"I think Abbott would miss you if you didn't show up for work at some point, but until then, I am happy to keep you all to myself my love" he grinned as she stood up and and took her coffee to her place at the table.

Teresa buttered a toasted bagel and sat back munching thoughtfully.

"How would you like to take a drive today, out to the cabin?" she asked Patrick.

A smile broke out on his face, his answer obvious. "I would love that. Great idea!"

"OK. After we clean up breakfast, let's go and putter around before it gets too hot. Then we can come home for lunch and you take a nap" she suggested.

"You do know that I'm not 2 years old, right?" smirked Jane.

"The doctor only released you from the hospital if I promised you would get plenty of rest. So those are the conditions, take'em or leave'em" she reminded Jane. "Nap after lunch or no field trip to the cabin."

"You're a hard woman Teresa Lisbon" he countered, looking put out.

"So we have a deal?"

"Deal" he smiled, reaching for a bagel. He knew perfectly well that by the mid-afternoon he would welcome a nap, he just couldn't let Teresa know that!

Breakfast continued in a lazy flow of news and teasing. After the dishwasher was loaded and the counter cleaned, Teresa left to get dressed while Jane finished his second cup of tea.

Teresa had just pulled her top on when her phone beeped with a text. It was Abbott.

'Cho coming to take statement at 4pm. Ok for you to take Jane's statement about assault. Talk to you soon.'

Teresa stared at the words on the screen. So she was going to interview Patrick, for the record. Her mind buzzed with anticipation and questions, but mostly, she was relieved. Abbott had just made a difficult day a bit easier for Jane. She finished getting dressed and brushed her teeth. Jane brushed his downstairs in the powder room to save a long walk up the stairs, and then, they were ready to go. She would tell him about Cho's visit while they drove.

Five minutes later they were heading out of the city and into the country, on their way to their broken-down palace by the lake.

Jane enjoyed the trip out into the countryside surrounding Austin. The property he had found quite by accident was very close to the city yet this little piece of heaven felt like it was miles away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Austin. The rolling land held a natural spring-fed lake, with numerous fish, frogs and duck families calling it home. The old cabin on the rise looked down onto the lake, making it feel like a cottage. When Jane was finished with it, he hoped it would be a spacious family home, with several bedrooms, a massive fireplace gracing the living room, a large modern kitchen and a newly restored front porch. He could already picture the large chairs softened with cushions that would line the porch, and tables to hold puzzles, games and drinks when friends came over. It would be a home. His modern house in Malibu suited the old Jane, the charlatan, the fake, but this would be all about honesty and simplicity. The plans he had drawn up were still a secret to Lisbon as he wanted to surprise her when more of the work was done, when it looked like something. She was patient and never begged to see what he had up his sleeve.

The car rounded the bend in the lane and swept up the long driveway. Lisbon parked the car next to the house and stepped out. Jane eased out of the car and stood with his crutches, surveying his kingdom. The quiet was what hit him first, that and the croaking of frogs in the not too distant lake. A great flapping of wings made them both look up to see their family of ducks fly over the cabin and down to the lake, where they settled with a splash. Territorial honking ensued until all the ducks had arranged themselves in their own corners of the lake. The ducklings that had been born in the spring were almost fully grown now and sailed around the lake like they were kings of the high seas. Jane and Lisbon walked downhill carefully and sat on the log that so conveniently lay near the water's edge.

"Smell the air Teresa. Doesn't it smell green?" asked Jane, his head thrown back with his eyes closed. He loved being outside and revelled in sunny days. Teresa always speculated as to why he loved nature so much, but put it down to not ever living in a house, in one spot. Since Jane lived out of a trailer and moved constantly as a child, he spent most of his time outside. Either he would come to hate it or love it. He loved it. This land suited him perfectly. Seeing the sheer bliss on his face as he tilted his face up to catch the sun, Teresa did the same, knowing more freckles would be the result, but so what?

They sat in happy silence for a while, until Jane turned to Lisbon and asked her what Abbott had texted her about.

"So what did he say?" he asked.

"How do you know Abbott texted me Patrick? Maybe no one texted me at all for that matter!" she huffed, ticked off that he had jump-started the conversation she was going to work up to gradually.

"High voice!"

He turned to stare at her, smiling. "Abbott called first thing this morning. Yesterday you said you were going to see what we could do about my interview...ergo...you asked Abbott for a favour and he got back to you while I was out of the room. He texted you so I wouldn't hear your phone ring. Thank you for considering me Teresa!" he smiled.

Ugh...sometimes his brilliant mind was such a pain in the ass…

"OK, yes...Abbott texted me. I asked him if it was possible for me to get your statement about what Michael did to you. About the assault. I told Abbott that if he wanted Cho to take your statement about everything else that was fine, but perhaps it would be better for me to speak to you about the other ...you know…"

Jane turned to face Teresa fully and took her hands in his.

"Thank you Teresa, for worrying about how I might feel. I wish I could just leave it all in the past, like everyone else he hurt would hope as well, but I can't. Then he wins. If Abbott had said no to your request, I would have told Cho or anyone else exactly what Michael did to me, not just the assault, but everything. I'm not special. Everyone else he hurt must tell their story too. But if I can talk to you, it does make it easier for me, so thank you for that."

He kissed her tenderly and sat back, staring at her. She blushed and felt both happy and ashamed of herself. Of course he would do the right thing. She should never have doubted his will power.

"So what time is Cho coming over?" he asked.

"4 pm. We have time to be here for awhile then lunch, then your nap. By the time you're up and about, we can expect him to show up."

"OK. So let's just enjoy this time while we have it, shall we?" Jane asked, gazing out at the lake.

They spent the remainder of the morning discussing the house and what they both liked in furniture, decor, the number of bedrooms, kitchen items. It was a conversation Teresa never thought she would ever have but she got caught up in Jane's enthusiasm for the project. She would wait until he felt the time was right to show her his drawings. That was a surprise worth waiting for.

The morning led to a lazy lunch on the front porch of Lisbon's condo. Lisbon had ordered in some Chinese food and by the time they threw away all the cartons and packaging, Jane was glad to head up the stairs for a little sleep. Teresa sat with him for a while then got up to tidy the house for Cho's arrival when Jane finally nodded off to sleep. He had not complained of a headache all day, and she was pretty sure he had not taken any pain medication either, so both of those indicated that he was definitely on the mend. Two hours passed quickly, and by 3:30 Jane made his way down the stairs, rumpled but rested. He smelled wonderful again, so he had re-applied his cologne for Teresa.

Cho arrived at 4 pm sharp, and was warmly welcomed into the house.

"How are you feeling Jane?" he asked as he took a seat in the living room. Lisbon put out a tray of cold drinks and sat down next to Patrick.

"I feel much better. The cast is helping to support my foot, so the ankle doesn't hurt as much."

"How about the head? When do the stitches come out?" Cho asked, eyeing the black line of sutures on the side of Jane's head and on his forehead.

"In a few days they can all come out. The headaches are manageable, so things are looking up. How are the victim statements coming along?" Jane asked, taking the attention off himself.

"As well as can be expected. Some of the disciples can't understand why we closed the Ranch. Others were only too ready to get the hell out of there. We've been hearing some pretty interesting stories about Michael and his financial dealings with his followers' money."

"Anything else come up?" Jane asked.

"Lots of stories of intimidation, beatings, 'round the clock indoctrination, even some stories of sexual assaults. The usual I guess if you're in the cult business" Cho snorted with disgust.

"Sounds about right…" Jane said, looking at Teresa knowingly.

"Cho, did you have a conversation with Abbott, about interviewing Jane?' she started to ask her old friend.

Cho put his glass down and nodded solemnly. "Yes. He said Jane had some sensitive material to discuss and that you would be doing that interview instead of me."

"Are you OK with that Cho? I don't want to step on your toes, I mean" she added.

Cho studied both of them as Teresa and Patrick sat close to each other on the large sofa. He could guess what this was about.

"I'm an agent, and you're an agent. If I wasn't here to ask Jane my questions, you would, so no. I don't have a problem Teresa. As long as Jane is willing to tell us both everything that happened to him, it doesn't matter to me who he talks to."

"Thank you Cho. Much appreciated" Jane said, smiling slightly at his friend and co-worker.

"Shall we begin?" asked Cho, flipping open his notebook and pressing "record" on his small device.

"Ask away…" said Jane, settling back into the sofa cushions. And so Cho took Patrick back to the day that he went out into the desert to examine the spot where Walter Carruthers had been found in the desert. Jane detailed everything that ensued from that point on, until he lost consciousness in the crash of his SUV in the flash flood. The story of his time at the Ranch unwound at a careful pace, with many of the details new to Lisbon. It was hard for her to hear Jane explain all that he had been through; the drugging, the confusion, the locked cell, the kangaroo court at the front of the main building that led to him digging up rocks all night. He described running away with Miriam after he had hypnotized Bobbie and how he had set her free, only to return to the compound to find his own way to escape. She teared up to hear him talk about his long walk on a damaged foot while trying to find a safe harbor away from Michael and his cronies, while they thought he had died at the bottom of that oil pit. God, no wonder he was exhausted when they found him!

Cho asked many questions, and got the information they would need to make sure Michael never set one foot outside of prison again. When he had what he needed, Cho turned to Lisbon.

"I brought a recorder for you to take Jane's statement when you're ready. I'll get back to the office and start to transcribe all this for the records."

"Thanks Cho" Teresa said, standing up with the men.

"Patrick" Cho said, shaking his hand. "Take care of yourself and come and see us soon."

"I will. Bye" he replied, glad the interview was over.

Lisbon walked Cho to the door.

"I'll get Jane's statement to the office as soon as possible."

"Sounds good. See you soon" he said with a smile, then was gone.

Lisbon headed back into the living room to find Jane standing by the window.

They stood watching as Cho backed out of the driveway and when he was out of sight, Jane swung around and held Teresa in a tight embrace.

"You alright?" she asked him softly.

"More than alright. I'm so lucky. I realize it more and more every day" he said, his voice thick with emotion. He rested his head on top of Teresa's and sighed deeply. "I have some of the most loyal friends any man could hope for, and I have you in my life."

He lifted Teresa's face up to his to kiss her. "More than alright."

She held onto him and swayed gently, happy to let him have this moment for as long as he wanted. Gradually they parted and he walked back to the sofa and collapsed back into the soft cushions.

"Tea?" Teresa asked, knowing he would feel wrung out from telling his story again.

"Thanks."

Lisbon got busy in the kitchen and when she returned there was soft jazz playing on her CD player. Jane was stretched out on the sofa with contented smile on his face. Teresa sat next to him and ran her hands gently through his hair, carefully avoiding his row of stitches.

"When do you want to ask me your questions Teresa?" he asked softly. She wanted it done with already, but he had spent the last hour reliving those days under Michael's control. Maybe it was time for a break.

"When you're ready Patrick."

"I'm ready right now, then I want to stop thinking about Michael until the trial."

Teresa nodded, wanting to follow Jane's lead.

"OK. I think that's a good idea. Get it all done today and then it's in the past" Teresa agreed. She reached over for the recorder Cho had left and grabbed a pen and piece of paper. Jane sat up to begin the process of explaining his encounter with Michael one more time. With a small "click" the recorder was switched on, and Lisbon began to draw the story out of Jane.


	41. Set Yourself Free

This story is coming to an end, with just one more chapter to go after this one. Thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I receive nothing from the Mentalist except pleasure writing about those characters. Things are definitely looking up for Jane now!

The Messenger

Chapter 41

Set Yourself Free

Jane sipped his tea as he watched Lisbon get ready to interview him, officially, about Michael's sexual misdeeds. He had to admit, he was much happier discussing his encounter here, in the comfort of Teresa's living room, than in a cold, sterile interview room downtown at the FBI headquarters.

"Ready?" Lisbon mouthed to him silently.

A quick nod of Jane's head signalled her to begin. She began slowly, asking him to recount how he came to be in the hospital at Refuge Ranch. He described his injuries and why he needed to be in the hospital in the first place, and also why he couldn't leave. He knew what the jury wanted to hear and shaped his answers to make his story clear and sympathetic. When he came to the part of the story about the drugging of his food and drinks, he saw Lisbon's mouth tighten, disgust evident on her face no matter how controlled her questioning might be.

"So you were not able to get up and get away from Michael and his nursing staff?" she asked.

"No. Between the concussion and the broken foot, and the sedation in my system, I was completely at Michael's mercy. He took full advantage of my situation" he explained.

"Can you describe the events that led to Michael sexually assaulting you?"

Jane took a sip of his tea, then recounted the progression of events that led to Michael fondling him under his pajamas, while he dozed. He explained how Michael had come into his room several times and just stared at him. Whether he touched Jane at those times when he was unconscious, Jane would never know. Unfortunately for Michael, he made the mistake of fondling Jane when his sedation was starting to wear off, and that is why Jane woke up to find Michael busy touching his genitals so intently he didn't notice Jane had awakened. Lisbon nodded noncommittally but inside she was seething with anger. This charge alone would put Michael away for a long time, if the Justice system did its job correctly.

Jane could see Lisbon struggling to remain calm. He switched off the recorder for a moment and took a break. Reaching out to touch her hand, he let her know he was OK.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

Lisbon was surprised he was asking her that question. "I'm fine Patrick. Angry, disgusted and ready to shoot that bastard Michael myself, but I'm more concerned about you."

"I'm OK Teresa, really. And every day I feel better and better the farther away Refuge Ranch and those memories are from me."

Teresa smiled softly at his resilience and determination to move on. Seeing her relax again, Jane turned on the recorder and waited for her next question.

"After you punched Michael to make him stop touching you, did you tell him to stop?"

Jane laughed at this inane question, but knew she had to ask it from a legal standpoint. Jane tried to make it clear that he did not encourage the touching, did not want to be touched by that man, and that once he realized what was going on, he fought back in his limited capacity by punching Michael in the nose, breaking it in the process.

"If the punch to the nose didn't get the message to him, I doubt a nice request from me would have prevented another attack, so no, I did not politely ask him to refrain from molesting me."

Lisbon smirked, liking his sarcastic answer.

"What were the repercussions to you because you fought back against Michael?" Lisbon asked, glad to have gotten past the most sordid part of Jane's story.

"Once Michael got his nose patched up, he sent his goons into my room. They dragged me out of my room and hauled me down the corridor to a new part of the building where he incarcerated anyone who displeased him, for any reason."

"Was this area like a jail?"

"Yes, there were cells, with solid doors and a small barred window on the door, which was heavily locked. I had no bed, only a table with a pen and paper on it to confess my sins" smirked Jane. As if he would ever have complied with that order.

"The room was for "reflection, re-education", and indoctrination. Michael kept his disciples in there for as long as it took to break them down and turn them into mindless devotees."

"And you used your lock-pick set to open the lock and set yourself free?" Lisbon prompted him.

"Yes, I had stolen it back from Michael when I broke into his office. I found it when I went on an unauthorized walk around the facility. I also found my driver's license and my suit in Michael's office at the same time, so that's when I knew he had lied about everything that he told me."

"So at that point you began to figure out you were being drugged and held against your will?"

"Yes. The story Michael had been telling me just didn't make any sense and I figured everything out. I became a liability very quickly after that so it was inevitable that I would end up behind bars. Fortunately Michael didn't know I had found my lockpick set in my suit and I hid it in the bindings around my foot. Without that, I would never have escaped."

"And that's when you opened the other cell doors?"

"Yes, I unlocked the cells for Miriam, Jeremiah and John as well. After that we had the kangeroo court, then we picked rocks ...and well, you know the rest."

Now they were back into testimony that Jane had given Cho, so Lisbon switched off the recorder and put down her pen.

"We can stop now" she said. "You did a great job, by the way."

"Having you ask the questions certainly took the "ick" factor out of the interview. Anything else you need from me?" he asked.

Teresa put the recorder in her purse and rejoined Jane on the sofa.

"We're done. I think it's enough for today. Let's just relax and maybe watch a silly movie tonight."

"What about 'No movies, it's bad for your brain!' Lisbon?" Jane asked with surprise at the turn around in her rules.

Teresa blushed and smirked. "OK, OK, smarty pants. I just thought we needed to do something fun after everything you've had to discuss this afternoon. A comedy shouldn't overtax your brain, and we can turn it off if you get tired. I have a pizza we can pop into the oven while we find a movie. Sound good?"

"Excellent. I'll find a movie while you look after drinks and pizza."

Teresa left Jane scrolling through movie listings on their cable network while she poured him a glass of wine. Now that he was off his meds, they could finally have a nice drink to end the day. Then she put the pizza in the oven and ran upstairs. When she came down she was in her pajamas with a robe on for cozyness. She had Jane's navy blue pajamas in her hand and gave them to him to put on while she retrieved his wine and shut the front curtains. When the pizza was ready, they snuggled down to watch Ghostbusters while they ate in front of the TV. By the time the credits were rolling on the screen, Jane was deeply asleep on the sofa. Teresa covered him up with a blanket and curled up in the easy chair, ready to help him upstairs when he finally woke up. It had been a perfect evening.

The morning came quickly, with Jane waking up before Teresa. He was in her bed but had no memory of getting up off the sofa the previous night. Teresa must have helped him get into bed but obviously he had been half asleep when that happened. Jane leaned over and put a light kiss on her cheek before he hopped out of bed and went into the bathroom. He wrapped his foot up in the plastic once again and stepped into the shower to enjoy the hot water before they began their day. He was in the midst of washing his hair when the door slid open and Teresa joined him with a mischievous grin on her face. The shower took much longer than was technically necessary, but by the time they had both lathered each other up, and felt each other up, they had run out of hot water and had to reluctantly leave the shower fun for another day. Lisbon was in desperate need of caffeine, but she got seriously sidetracked by a very determined Jane, who dragged her over to the bed and lavished his attention on her for the next half hour.

Lisbon rolled off Jane and sat up in bed, flushed with satisfaction after their lovemaking.

"You do realized that we can't do this every morning before I go to work Patrick" she deadpanned, seeing his relaxed and sated face beaming up at her from his pillow.

"Those are some of the saddest and most cruel words you have ever said woman!" he moaned. "How on earth do you expect me to get through the day without ravishing you first?"

"I'm sure we'll come up with something" Teresa smiled as she kissed his swollen lips and slid off the bed to go and make coffee and tea.

"It better be a good something!" Jane called after her, laughing as he stood up to get dressed. They got ready for the day and made plans to drop by the bullpen at the FBI to say hello to everyone before they set out for the grocery store. Teresa was determined to make their time together count before they both had to return to work. Jane would be office bound with his damaged foot for awhile, most likely annoying the heck out of everyone until he could be out in the field with the team once again. For now, she enjoyed knowing he was safe and on the mend. They would face danger again soon enough when duty called.


	42. The Last Stone of Sadness

Et voila! C'est fini! This is the final chapter of The Messenger. Thank you for sticking with me for all 42 chapters. It was a pleasure to write this story and a pleasure to read your kind reviews. I have no idea what or when I will write next time. Stories just creep up on me and then, off I go! So thank you!

The Messenger

Chapter 42

The Last Stone of Sadness

The next few weeks flew by quickly as Jane finally got the cast removed from his foot and he could once again walk normally. His face had a few new scars on it from his adventure in the desert, but all in all, he was as handsome as ever. He had returned to work alongside Teresa all the while anticipating his chance to ask her to marry him. Michael and his cronies had been shipped off to the State Penitentiary to await their trials. Although the court system wanted to deal with the case expeditiously, the trial date was still at least a year away. Jane put the whole mess away in a locked room in his Memory Palace. When the time came, he would unlock that door and face Michael once again. What he had not planned on was walking into work one morning to hear some startling news from Abbott.

"Jane, Lisbon, my office."

Teresa looked at Patrick in alarm. What could warrant Abbott's serious tone so early in the morning?

As they settled into chairs across from Abbott's desk, Lisbon spoke first.

"Sir? Is everything alright?"

Jane studied Dennis' face and determined that whatever he wanted to tell them was important to them personally, not just information about a new case.

"Well 'alright' depends on which side of the courtroom you're standing on Teresa."

Lisbon shot Jane a questioning look. What was this about?

"What happened Dennis?" Jane asked evenly. "It's about Michael, isn't it?"

Dennis gazed at his too clever consultant. Damn, he could figure out anything.

"As a matter of fact it is. Michael, or more to the point, Michel Vogel, did a stupid thing. He raped his bunkmate, a very handsome young man apparently."

A slight grin crept up on Jane's face. "Once a pervert, always a pervert."

"This young man's uncle, a powerful Mob boss, is also a guest of the State Penitentiary, and when he found out what Michael had done to his nephew while he was sleeping, he took it upon himself to teach Michael a lesson. Turns out he didn't take kindly to buggery."

"How is Michael?" asked Teresa, surprised Michael had done something so stupid, in prison of all places, before learning who he was dealing with.

"Oh he's dead Teresa" smiled Jane. Turning to Abbott, he steepled his fingers in satisfaction and leaned back in his chair.

Dennis smiled back. "As a matter of fact he is dead. Got shivved in the ribs on his way to lunch. The blade pierced his heart and he was dead before he hit the floor."

"Let me guess...no one saw anything. No charges will be laid in his murder?" grinned Jane.

"Correct."

Dennis relaxed into his plush leather chair, happy for once that a criminal did not get his day in court.

"Of course when Bobbie and Glenn go to trial, we will still need your testimony Jane, but as you can imagine, it will won't be nearly as taxing as we had first imagined. For you and Michael's other victims" he said obliquely.

"Best news I've had in a long time. Thank you Dennis!" Jane said as he stood up, straightening his jacket with satisfaction.

The bastard got what was coming to him, as Jane had anticipated. Going to jail was not going to stop Michael's sexual proclivities, instead it conveniently provided him with many new opportunities to assault attractive men who couldn't escape. He just chose the wrong young man to assault. Jane threw away the key to the room where Michael resided in his Memory Palace.

One bright day the next week, Jane slipped out while Lisbon was at work and found the perfect engagement ring, which now seemed to burn a hole in his pocket. Patrick had long ago planned how to propose to her, and with great anticipation, that day finally arrived. Patrick had told Teresa he was going to spend the day working at the cabin. When Lisbon arrived with sandwiches for lunch he knew his moment was here. He escorted her down to the lake, where they sat on their log, surveying the beautiful land around their future home. Lisbon had remarked that the cabin seemed to be a bit lopsided, but Jane took pains to explain that it was an optical illusion. The house was in fact, level.

Then he took his well worn wedding ring out of his pocket and held it up to the sun before Teresa's surprised face. He spoke from his heart, which was racing under his cool demeanor, and explained how and why his old ring had brought them together. It represented his past, and therefore, his future with Teresa.

Looking at his ring, he turned to the woman who had saved his life time and again and finally opened his heart to her. He told her he didn't expect her to ever wear his wedding ring, but he wanted to share it with her. Teresa was well and truly confused now. What was he leading up to?

"I want it to represent our future...together" he said to her astonished face.

Taking a deep breath, he plunged ahead. "I want you to be my wife...will you marry me?"

Teresa got over her momentary shock then nodded her head in joy and amazement.

"O..K! Yes! Yes!" she blubbered, then burst out laughing, seeing the relief on Jane's face.

"Excellent!" he replied, all nervousness gone now. "I'm glad that's dealt with, I was a little nervous!" he admitted, laughing at himself as well.

"You knew I'd say yes" she smiled. Jane shook his head in humility and honesty.

"No… Even after all these years you're still a mystery to me" he said, before he kissed her deeply and lovingly. No matter what happened now, he and Teresa were going to be man and wife. Just saying those words to himself seemed to dislodge the final small stone of sadness that had resided deep in his heart ever since Angela and Charlotte were killed so many many years ago.

Taking Teresa in his arms, in this place of beauty and sanctuary, Jane felt the shackles of his past fall away. He was finally free, ready to live for the future, with the woman he loved.

The End.


End file.
